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Werner's 

Readings  and  Recitations 

No.  49 


Washington  Celebrations 


By  STANLEY  SGHELL 


^ 


kfo 


EDGAR  S.  WERNER  &  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK. 


Copyright,  1912,  by  Edgar  S.  Werner.     All  rights   reserved. 


Persons  preparing  School  Exercises, 
Public  Entertainments,  Articles, 
Es~?ys,  Speeches,  or  Orations,  per- 
taining to  any  Phase  of  WASH 
INGTON,  Historical  or  Personal, 
will  find  much  Help  in  the  Material 
given  in  this  Book,  which  is  equally 
Valuable  for  Home  Reading  as  it  is 
for  School  or  Public  Use. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Approach  of  the  Presidency  (letter). — George  Washington 73 

Battle  of  Trenton  (verse) 67 

Be  Like  George  Washington   (song — words  and  music). — S.  Jennie 

Smith 52 

Betsy  Ross  House,   Philadelphia,  Where  the  American   Flag  Was 

First  Made   (illustration)    97 

Birthday  Lesson  (verse). — Mary  Livingston  Burdick 39 

Boy's  Washington  Composition  (verse). — Emma  C.  Dowd 191 

Burial  of  Washington  (essay) 82 

Carpenters'   Hall,   Exterior,   Philadelphia    (illustration) 32 

Carpenters'  Hall,  Interior  (illustration) 33 

Cherry-Tree  Dialogue  (5  boys)    140 

Children's  Washington  Birthday  Program  (46  children  and  school). 

Stanley  Schell  147 

Colonial  Entertainment  Program. — Stanley  Schell 136 

Crowning  of  Washington   (exercise  for  46). — Stanley  Schell 105 

Elements    in   Washington's    Greatness    (prose    tributes,   6   pupils). 

R.  J.  White 72 

Epitaph  on  Washington  (verse) 77 

Father  of  Our  Land  (song — words  and  music) 20 

Flag  Song  for  Washington's  Birthday  (action  song — tune  sug- 
gested).— Annie  E.  Chase  88 

General  Washington's  Residence  at  Germantown  (illustration) ....  160 

George  and  His  Hatchet  (prose). — Mark  Twain 190 

George  Washington  (portrait)    frontispiece 

George's  Cherry-Tree  (verse). — Amanda  Waldron 189 

George  Washington  (verse  exercise  for  5  boys) 24 

George  Washington  (1  stanza  verse) 23 

George  Washington  (verse)    23 

George  Washington  (verse). — Phillis  Wheatley 50 

George  Washington  and  His  Mother  (illustration) 17 

George  Washington  Dinner  Party. — Stanley  Schell 143 

George  Washington  Hatchet  Party. — Stanley  Schell 142 

George  Washington  Supper  Party. — Stanley  Schell   127 

George  Washington's  Life  (7  children  and  school  verse  exercise). 

Hale  Howard  Richardson  34 

Good  Old  Times  (verse).— Robert  J.  Burdette  188 

Great  Experiment  (letter). — George  Washington  80 

Great  Immortal  Washington  (verse). — W.  S.  Hyde 16 

Hatchet  and  Cherry-Branch  Drill  and  Pantomime  (boys  and  girls). 

Stanley  Schell  131 

Werner's   Readings   No.    49 — page   3. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Hints  for  Observing  Washington's  Birthday  40 

House  in  Which  Thomas  Jefferson  First  Wrote  the  Declaration  of 

Independence   (illustration) 65 

I  Would  Tell  (verse  exercise — 5  children)    55 

"I'm  the  Little  Red  Stamp"  (verse). — Sam  Walter  Foss 43 

Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia  (illustration)    64 

Just  Like  Washington  (verse)    37 

Life  of  George  Washington  (exercise  for  27  children) 85 

Like  Washington  (verse  recital). — Clara  J.  Denton 59 

Literary  Side  of  Washington  (essay). — John  de  Morgan 90 

Little  Hatchet  (1  verse) 65 

Little  Hatchet  (illustration)    frontispiece 

Little  Hatchet;  or,  The  Centennial  Boy   (comedy  prose). — Robert 

J.  Burdette  62 

Little  Martha  Washington  (verse  for  girl).— Mrs.  Royal  A.  Bristol.   182 

Martha  Washington   (portrait)    128 

Minuet  (verse  for  girl). — Mary  Mapes  Dodge  187 

Mistress  Penelope   (Colonial  play,  4m.  If.) 97 

Modern  Washington  (verse). — Joseph  C.  Lincoln 26 

My  Hatchet  (verse) 52 

Ode  to  Washington  (song — words  and  music) 75 

Old  Liberty  Bell  (illustration)    96 

Origin    of   the    Celebration    of    Washington's    Birthday    (1    stanza 

speech)   9 

Our  Little  Hero  (verse  exercise  with  song) 129 

Our  Washington  (verse).— Eliza  W.  Durbin  183 

Our  Washington  (verse  address)   21 

President  Washington's  Receptions  (address). — William  Sullivan. .     13 

Progressive  Washington  Party  (games)    134 

Quotations  about  Washington. : 33,  36,  41,  54,  69,  94,  167,  178 

Quotations  by  Washington  (from  Washington's  Writings) — Stan- 
ley Schell   159 

Republican  "No"   (letter). — George  Washington  66 

Return  of  the  Washingtons   (Dance:   Past  and  Present). — Stanley 

Schell    (play  for  12f.   lm.) 110 

She  Danced  with  Washington  (verse). — Elvira  Snyder  Miller 184 

Something  Better  (verse  for  girl). — Clara  J.  Denton 67 

Speech  Before  Virginia  Convention  (oration). — Patrick  Henry 179 

Story  of  the  Hatchet  (essay). — Mason  L.  Weems  10 

Tableaux  Vivants  and  Scenes  from  Life  of  Washington   (exercise 

for  any  number) . — Stanley  Schell  123 

Themes  and  Texts  Appropriate  to  Washington's  Birthday 9 

Thirteen  Original  Colonies  and  George  Washington   (exercise  for 

13  children). — Lucia  M.  Mooney  56 

Troubles  of  the  First  Administration   (address). — John  Marshall..     44 
Werner's  Readings  No.  49 — page  4. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Truthful  Boy  (verse)    58 

Twenty-Second  of  February  (verse). — William  Cullen  Bryant 25 

Vow  of  Washington   (poem). — John  G.  Whittier 70 

War  and  Washington  (verse)   11 

Washington  (tribute)    192 

Washington   (verse)    28 

Washington  (epigrams  for  5  boys  or  girls) 32 

Washington  (verse). — Thomas  M.  Menihan 29 

Washington  (verse) . — Eliza  Cook 83 

Washington  (verse). — D.  H.  Bolles 38 

Washington   (verse). — Joseph  Hopkinson   21 

Washington  (verse). — Hezekiah  Butterworth   48 

Washington   (acrostic,  children  with  card-letters) 58 

Washington  and  Franklin  (dialogue). — Walter  Savage  Landor 78 

Washington  and  His  Friends   (school  program). — Olive  E.  Dana..  115 

Washington  and  Lincoln  (oration)   95 

Washington  at  Prayer  (essay). — Mason  L.  Weems 68 

Washington  Birthday  Drill  and  Tableaux  (drill  for  12  girls). — Stan- 
ley Schell   145 

Washington  Birthday  Exercise  (any  number) 151 

Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware  (illustration) 129 

Washington  Monument  (verse). — Edna  Dean  Proctor 31 

Washington  Monument  at  Washington  (illustration) 176 

Washington  on  His  Appointment  as  Commander-in-Chief  (speech)  15 

Washington  Party 139 

Washington's  Address  to  His  Troops  (speech) 181 

Washington's  Administration  (acrostic)    32 

Washington's  Birthday   (verse). — Arthur  J.   Burdick 28 

Washington's   Birthday    Ever    Honored     (song — tune    suggested). 

George  Howland 19 

Washington's  Commission  as  Commander-in-Chief   49 

Washington's  Day  (verse). — Mary  K.  D.  Dingwall 65 

Washington's  Farewell  to  His  Army  (1  paragraph  speech)........  81 

Washington's  Farewell  to  His  Wife  (letter) 60 

Washington's  Headquarters  at  Newburgh  (illustration) 161 

Washington's  Home  at  Mount  Vernon  (illustration)   16 

Washington's  Life  (verse). — Eliza  Cook 22 

Washington's    Life    (verse   exercise    with    date-cards,    5    children). 

M.  Alice  Bryant 42 

Washington's  Rules  of  Behavior  (21  rules) 35 

Washington's  Tomb  at  Mount  Vernon  (illustration) 177 

Welcome  to  Washington's  Birthday  (song — words  and  music)....  118 
What  the  Children  Learned  at  School  (exercise  with  acrostic  for  11 

children  with  letters). — Stanley  Schell   89 

Who  Knows?  (1  verse).— Anna  M.  Pratt  56 

Writs  of  Assistance  (speech). — James  Otis  177 

Werner's  Readings  No.    49 — page   5. 


CLASSIFIED   CONTENTS. 


ACROSTICS. 

PAGE 

Washington    58 

Washington  Acrostic  148 

Washington's  Administration..  32 
What  the  Children  Learned  at 

School 89 

BLACKBOARD   OUTLINE. 

Washington  and  Lincoln 96 

DRILLS. 
Hatchet    and    Cherry-Branch 

Drill  and  Pantomime. ..  *. ...  131 
Washington  Birthday  Drill  and 

Tableaux    145 

ESSAYS. 
Literary  Side  of  Washington..  90 
President  Washington's  Recep- 
tions        13 

Story  of  the  Hatchet 10 

Troubles  of  the  First  Adminis- 
tration    44 

Washington  at  Prayer 68 

Washington  and  Lincoln 95 

GAMES. 

Big  Story  Feature 134 

Burying  the  Hatchet 134 

Cherry-Tree   Contest    134 

Washington  Memory  Test..  ..135 

ORATIONS,  SPEECHES, 
ADDRESSES. 

Great  Immortal  Washington..   16 

Origin  of  Celebration  of  Wash- 
ington's Birthday  9 

Speech  Before  Virginia  Con- 
vention     179 

Washington's  Address  to  His 
Troops    181 

Washington's  Farewell  to  His 
Army 81 

Washington  on  His  Appoint- 
ment as  Commander-in-Chief  15 

Writs  of  Assistance 177 

Werner's   Readings 


PARTIES,  DINNERS, 

SUPPERS.  PAGE 

George  Washington  Dinner 
Party 143 

George  Washington  Hatchet 
Party  142 

George  Washington  Supper 
Party  137 

Progressive  Washington  Party.134 

Washington  Party  139 

PLAYS,  DIALOGUES.. 

Cherry-Tree  Dialogue   140 

Mistress  Penelope   97 

Return  of  the  Washingtons.  . .  .110 

Washington  and   Franklin 78 

Washington  and  the  Flag 147 

Washington,  the  Boy 148 

Washington,  the   Man 149 

What  the  Children  Learned  at 
School  89 

PROGRAMS  AND  EXERCISES 

Children's  Washington  Birth- 
day Program   147 

Colonial  Entertainment  Pro- 
gram     136 

Crowning  of  Washington 105 

Elements  in  Washington's  Great- 
ness    72 

I  Would  Tell  36 

George  Washington   . ... 24 

George   Washington's   Life 34 

Life  of  George  Washington 85 

Our  Little  Hero  129 

Thirteen  Original  Colonies  and 

George  Washington   56 

Washington  and  His  Friends..  115 
Washington  Birthday  Exercise. 151 

Washington's  Life  42 

QUOTATIONS  AND 
EPITAPHS. 

About  Washington    167 

Epitaph  on  Washington 77 

No.    49 — page    6. 


CLASSIFIED    CONTENTS. 


From  Washington's  Writings.  159 

Washington    32 

Washington's     Rules     of     Be- 
havior      35 

Washington— 1732-1799    192 

RECITALS  AND  MONO- 
LOGUES. 

Battle  of  Trenton 67 

Birthday  Lesson  39 

"I'm  the  Little  Red  Stamp"...  43 

George's  Cherry-Tree 189 

George  Washington  23 

Just  Like  Washington 27 

Like  Washington  59 

Little  Hatchet  65 

Little  Martha  Washington 182 

Minuet  187 

Modern  Washington 26 

My  Hatchet   52 

Something  Better 67 

She  Danced  with  Washington.  184 

Washington    28 

Washington    29 

Washington  Monument 31 

Washington's  Life  22 

RECITATIONS  AND 
READINGS. 
Boy's     Washington     Composi- 
tion     191 

Burial  of  Washington    82 

Epitaph  on  Washington 77 

George  and  His  Hatchet 190 

George  Washington   23 

George  Washington   50 

Little   Hatchet;    or,   Centennial 

Boy    62 

Our  Washington 21 

Our  Washington  184 

Twenty-Second  of  February...  25 

Truthful  Boy  58 

Vow   of  Washington 70 


PAGE 

Washington 21,  38,  48,  83 

War  and  Washington 11 

Washington's    Commission    as 

Commander-in-Chief     49 

Washington's  Day  65 

SONGS. 

Be  Like  George  Washington..  52 

Father  of  Our  Land 20 

Flag    Song    for    Washington's 

Birthday  88 

Ode  to  Washington 75 

War  and  Washington 11 

Washington's     Birthday     Ever 

Honored     19 

Welcome       to       Washington's 

Birthday    118 

TABLEAUX  AND  PANTO- 
MIMES. 
Colonial     Entertainment     Pro- 
gram     136 

Hatchet      and      Cherry-Branch 

Drill  and  Pantomime  131 

Return     of     the     Washingtons 

(Dance  :  Past  and  Present)  .  .110 
Tableaux    Vivants    and    Scenes 

from  Life  of  Washington ...  .123 
Washington  Birthday  Drill  and 
Tableaux    145 

WASHINGTON'S  OWN 
WRITINGS. 

Approach  of  the  Presidency...  73 

Great   Experiment    80 

Quotations  from  His  Writings. 159 

Republican  "No"    66 

Washington    on    His    Appoint- 
ment as  Commander-in-Chief  15 
Washington's   Address   to   His 

Troops    181 

Washington's  Farewell  to  Wife  60 
Washington's  Farewell  to  Army  81 


Werner's   Readings   No.    49 — page   7. 


INDEX  TO  AUTHORS. 


PAGE 

Bolles,  D.  H 38 

Bristol,  Mrs.  Royal  A 182 

Bryant,  M.  Alice  42 

Bryant,  William  Cullen  25 

Burdette,  Robert  J 62,  188 

Burdick,  Arthur  J 28 

Burdick,  Mary  Livingston 39 

Butterworth,    Hezekiah    48 

Chase,  Annie  E 88 

Cook,  Eliza  22,  83 

Dana,  Olive  E 115 

Denton,  Clara  J 59,  67 

Dingwall,  Mary  K.  D 65 

Dodge,  Mary  Mapes   •  187 

Dowd,  Emma  C 191 

Durbin,  Eliza  W 183 

Foss,  Sam  Walter 43 

Henry,    Patrick    179 

Hopkinson,  Joseph  21 

Howland,  George   19 

Hyde,  W.  S 16 

Landor,  Walter  Savage  78 

Lincoln,  Joseph  C 26 

Marshall,  John  44 

Menihan,  Thomas  M 29 

Miller,  Elvira  Snyder 184 

Mooney,  Lucia  M 56 

Morgan,  John  de  90 

Otis,  James   177 

Pratt,  Anna  M '. 56 

Proctor,  Edna  Dean 31 

Richardson,  Hale  Howard 34 

Schell,  Stanley 89,  105,  110,  123,  127,  131,  136,  142,  143,  145,  147,  159 

Smith,   S.  Jennie 52 

Sullivan,  William    13 

Twain,  Mark  190 

Waldron,  Amanda    189 

Washington,  George 15,  35,  49,  60,  66,  73,  80,  81,  159,  181 

Weems,  Mason  L 10,  68 

Wheatley,   Phillis    50 

White,  R.  J 72 

Whittier,  John  G 70 


Werner's   Readings  No.   49 — page  8. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  CELEBRATION  OF   WASHINGTON'S 
BIRTHDAY. 


WASHINGTON'S  birthday  was  first  celebrated  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1800,  pursuant  to  a  joint  resolution  of 
Congress,  passed  December  30,  1799,  recommending-  the 
people  of  the  United  States  "  to  assemble  on  that  day  in 
such  manner  as  should  be  convenient,  to  testify  publicly 
by  eulogies,  orations  or  discourses,  or  by  public  prayers, 
their  grief  for  the  death  of  George  Washington." 


THEMES  AND  TEXTS  APPROPRIATE  TO   WASHING- 
TON'S  BIRTHDAY. 


t.  Suggesting  Washington's  Special  Qualities. 

(a)  The  Unparalleled  President. 

"  There  was  none  like  thee  before  thee, 
neither  after  thee  shall  any  arise  like  unto  thee." 
— I.  Kings  iii.  12. 

(b)  His  Wise  Administration. 

"  He  by  his  wisdom  delivered  the  city." — 
Eccles.  ix.  15. 

(c)  His  Incorruptible  Love  for  Liberty. 

"  Then  the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  Gideon, 
Rule  thou  over  us,  both  thou  and  thy  son  and 

9 


10  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

thy  son's  son  also;    for  thou  hast  delivered  us 
from  the  hand  of  Midian.     And  Gideon  said, 
I  will  not  rule  over  you:    the  Lord  shall  rule 
over  you." — Judges  viii.  22  and  23. 
(d)  The  General  Reverence  for  his  Character. 

"  And  all  Israel  heard  of  the  judgment  which 
the  king  had  judged;  and  they  feared  the  king, 
for  they  saw  that  the  wisdom  of  God  was  in 
him  to  do  judgment. — I.  Kings  iii.  28. 

2.  A  Good  Ruler  is  the  Blessing  God  Gives  to  a  Right- 

eous People. 

"  The  same  did  God  send  to  be  a  ruler  and  a 
deliverer." — Acts  vii.  35. 

"  By  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us  they 
brought  us  a  man  of  understanding." — Ezra 
viii.  18. 

3.  We  Should  Find  our  Washingtons  and  Make  them  our 

Leaders  and  Rulers. 
"  Look  out  a  man  discreet  and  wise,  and  set 
him  over  the  land." — Gen.  xli.  33. 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  HATCHET, 


MASON    L.    WEEMS. 

WHEN  George  was  about  six  years  old,  he  was  made 
the  wealthy  master  of  a  hatchet,  of  which,  like  most 
little  boys,  he  was  immoderately  fond,  and  was  constantly 
going  about  chopping  everything  that  came  in  his  way. 
One  day,  in  the  garden,  where  he  often  amused  himself 
hacking  his  mother's  pea-sticks,  ■  he  unluckily  tried  the 
edge  of  his  hatchet  on  the  body  of  a  beautiful  young  Eng- 
lish cherry-tree,  which  he  barked  so  terribly  that  I  don't 
believe  the  tree  ever  got  the  better  of  it.  The  next  morn- 
ing the  old  gentleman  finding  out  what  had  befallen  his 
tree,  which,  by  the  bv,  was  a  great  favorite,  came  into  the 
house  and  with  much  warmth  asked  for  the  mischievous 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  11 

author,  declaring  at  the  same  time  that  he  would  not  have 
taken  five  guineas  for  his  tree.  Nobody  could  tell  him 
anything  about  it.  Presently  George  and  his  hatchet  made 
their  appearance. 

"  George,"  said  his  father,  "  do  you  know  who  killed 
that  beautiful  little  cherry-tree  yonder  in  the  garden?  " 

This  was  a  tough  question,  and  George  stagg-ered  under 
it  for  a  moment;  but  quickly  recovered  himself,  and,  look- 
ing at  his  father  with  the  sweet  face  of  youth  brightened 
with  the  inexpressible  charm  of  all-triumphant  truth,  he 
bravely  cried  out,  "  I  can't  tell  a  lie,  Pa,  you  know  I  can't 
tell  a  lie;   I  cut  it  with  my  hatchet." 

"  Run  to  my  arms,  you  dearest  boy,"  cried  his  father  in 
transports,  "run  to  my  arms;  glad  am  I,  George,  that 
you  ever  killed  my  tree,  for  you  have  paid  me  for  it  a 
thousandfold.  Such  an  act  of  heroism  in  my  son  is  more 
worth  than  a  thousand  trees,  though  blossomed  with  silver 
and  their  fruits  of  fairest  gold." 


WAR  AND  WASHINGTON. 


[Written  in  1775  and  sung  during  the  Revolution.] 

VAIN  Britons,  boast  no  longer  with  proud  indignity, 
By  land  your  conquering  legions,  your  matchless 
strength  at  sea, 
Since  we,  your  braver  sons  incensed,   our  swords  have 

girded  on, 
Huzza,  huzza,  huzza,  huzza,  for  war  and  Washington ! 

Urged  on  by  North  and  vengeance  those  valiant  cham- 
pions came, 

Loud  bellowing  Tea  and  Treason,  and  George  was  all  on 
flame, 

Yet  sacrilegious  as  it  seems,  we  rebels  still  live  on, 

And  laugh  at  all  their  empty  puffs,  huzza  for  Washington! 


12  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Still  deaf  to  mild  entreaties,  still  blind  to  England's  good, 
You  have  for  dirty  pieces  betrayed  your  country's  blood. 
Like  Esop's  greedy  cur  you'll  gain  a  shadow  for  your  bone, 
Yet  find  us  fearful  shades  indeed,  inspired  by  Washington. 

Mysterious!  unexampled!  incomprehensible! 

The  blundering  schemes  of  Britain  their  folly,  pride,  and 
zeal, 

Like  lions  how  ye  growl  and  threat,  mere  asses  have  you 
shown, 

And  ye  shall  share  an  ass's  fate,  and  drudge  for  Washing- 
ton. 

Your  dark  unfathomed  councils  our  weakest  heads  defeat, 

Our  children  rout  your  armies,  our  boats  destroy  your 
fleet, 

And  to  complete  the  dire  disgrace,  cooped  up  within  a 
town, 

You  live  the  scorn  of  all  our  host,  the  slaves  of  Washing- 
ton! 

Great  Heaven!  is  this  the  nation  whose  thundering  arms 

were  hurled 
Through  Europe,  Afric,  India?  whose  navy  ruled  a  world? 
The  lustre  of  your  former  deeds,  whole  ages  of  renown, 
Lost  in  a  moment,  or  transferred  to  us  and  Washington! 

Yet  think  not  thirst  of  glory  unsheathes  our  vengeful 
swords 

To  rend  your  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  your  cords. 

'Tis  heaven-born  freedom  fires  us  all,  and  strengthens  each 
brave  son, 

From  him  who  humbly  guides  the  plow,  to  god-like  Wash- 
ington! 

For  this,  oh,  could  our  wishes  your  ancient  rage  inspire, 
Your  armies  should  be  doubled,  in  numbers,  force,  and 

fire. 
Then  might  the  glorious  conflict  prove  which  best  deserved 

the  boon, 
America  or  Albion,  a  George  or  Washington! 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  13 

Fired  with  the  great  idea,  our  fathers'  shades  would  rise, 
To  view  the  stern  contention,  the  gods  desert  their  skies; 
And  Wolfe,  'midst  hosts  of  heroes,  superior  bending  down, 
Cry  out  with  eager  transport,  God  save  great  Washington! 

Should  George,  too  choice  of  Britons,  to  foreign  realms 

apply, 
And  madly  arm  half  Europe,  yet  still  we  would  defy 
Turk,  Hessian,  Jew,  and  infidel,  or  all  those  powers  in  one, 
While  Adams  guides  our  senate,  our  camp  great  Wash- 
ington! 

Should  warlike  weapons  fail  us,  disdaining  slavish  fears, 

To  swords  we'll  beat  our  ploughshares,  our  pruning-hooks 
to  spears, 

A.nd  rush,  all  desperate!  on  our  foe,  nor  breathe  till  battle 
won, 

Then  shout,  and  shout  America!  and  conquering  Wash- 
ington! 

Proud  France  should  view  with  terror,  and  haughty  Spain 

revere, 
While  every  warlike  nation  would  court  alliance  here; 
And  George,  his  minions  trembling  round,  dismounting 

from  his  throne 
Pay  homage  to  America  and  glorious  Washington! 


PRESIDENT  WASHINGTON'S  RECEPTIONS. 


WILLIAM    SULLIVAN. 


[American  Society  in  the  Constitutional  Period.] 

WASHINGTON  devoted  one  hour  every  other  Tues- 
day, from  three  to  four,  to  these  visits.  He  un- 
derstood himself  to  be  visited  as  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  not  on  his  own  account.  He  was.  not 
to  be  seen  by  anybody  and  everybody;    but  required  that 


14  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

everyone  who  came  should  be  introduced  by  his  secretary, 
or  by  some  gentleman  he  himself  knew.  He  lived  on  the 
south  side  of  Market  Street,  just  below  Sixth.  The  place 
of  reception  was  the  dining-room  in  the  rear,  twenty-five 
or  thirty  feet  in  length,  including  the  bow  projecting  into 
the  garden.  Mrs.  Washington  received  her  visitors  in  the 
two  rooms  on  the  second  floor,  from  front  to  rear. 

At  three  o'clock,  or  at  any  time  within  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  afterward,  the  visitor  was  conducted  to  this  dining- 
room^Jirom  which  all  seats  had  been  removed  for  the  time. 
On  entering,  he  saw  the  tall,  manly  figure  of  Washington 
clad  in  black  velvet;  his  hair  in  full  dress,  powdered  and 
gathered  behind  in  a  large  silk  bag;  yellow  gloves  on  his 
hands,  holding  a  cocked  hat  with  cockade  in  it,  and  the 
edges  adorned  with  a  black  feather  about  an  inch  deep. 
He  wore  knee  and  shoe-buckles;  and  a  long  sword,  with 
a  finely-wrought  and  polished  steel  hilt,  which  appeared 
at  the  left  hip;  the  coat  worn  over  the  sword,  so  that  the 
hilt,  and  the  part  below  the  folds  of  the  coat  behind,  were 
in  view.    The  scabboard  was  white  polished  leather. 

He  stood  always  in  front  of  the  fire-place,  with  his  face 
toward  the  door  of  entrance.  The  visitor  was  conducted 
to  him  and  he  required  to  have  the  name  so  distinctly  pro- 
nounced, that  he  could  hear  it.  He  had  the  very  uncom- 
mon faculty  of  associating  a  man's  name  and  personal 
appearance  so  durably  in  his  memory,  as  to  be  able  to  call 
any  one  by  name,  who  made  him  a  second  visit.  He  re- 
ceived his  visitor  with  a  dignified  bow,  while  his  hands 
were  so  disposed  of  as  to  indicate  that  the  salutation  was 
not  to  be  accompanied  with  shaking  hands.  This  ceremony 
never  occurred  in  these  visits,  even  with  his  most  near 
friends,  that  no  distinction  might  be  made. 

As  visitors  came  in,  they  formed  a  circle  around  the 
room.  At  a  quarter  past  three,  the  door  was  closed,  and 
the  circle  was  formed  for  that  day.  He  then  began  on  the 
right  and  spoke  to  each  visitor,  calling  him  by  name  and 
exchanging  a  few  words  with  him.  When  he  had  com- 
pleted his  circuit,  he  resumed  his  first  position,  and  the  vis- 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  15* 

itors  approached  him  in  succession,  bowed  and  retired. 
By  four  o'clock  this  ceremony  was  over. 

On  the  evenings  when  Mrs.  Washington  received  vis- 
itors, he  did  not  consider  himself  as  visited.  He  was  then 
as  a  private  gentleman,  dressed  usually  in  some  colored 
coat  and  waistcoat  (the  only  one  recollected  was  brown, 
with  bright  buttons),  and  black  on  his  lower  limbs.  He 
had  then  neither  hat  nor  sword;  he  moved  about  among 
the  company,  conversing  with  one  ana  another.  He  had 
once  a  fortnight  an  official  dinner  and  select  companies 
on  other  days.  He  sat  (it  is  said)  at  the  side,  in  a  central 
position,  Mrs.  Washington  opposite;  the  two  ends  were 
occupied  by  members  of  his  family,  or  by  personal  friends. 


WASHINGTON    ON    HIS    APPOINTMENT    AS    COM= 
MANDER=IN=CHIEF. 


[Delivered  in  Congress,  June  16,  1775.] 

MR.  PRESIDENT:  Though  I  am  truly  sensible  of  the 
high  honor  done  me  in  this  appointment,  yet  I  feel 
great  distress,  from  a  consciousness  that  my  abilities  and 
military  experience  may  not  be  equal  to  the  extensive  and 
important  trust.  However,  as  the  Congress  desire  it,  I 
will  enter  upon  the  momentous  duty,  and  exert  every 
power  I  possess  in  their  service,  and  for  the  support  of  the 
glorious  cause.  I  beg  they  will  accept  my  cordial  thanks 
for  this  distinguished  testimony  of  their  approbation. 

But,  lest  some  unlucky  event  should  happen,  unfavor- 
able to  my  reputation,  I  beg  it  may  be  remembered  by 
every  gentleman  in  the  room,  that  I,  this  day,  declare  with 
the  utmost  sincerity,  I  do  not  think  myself  equal  to  the 
command  I  am  honored  with. 

As  to  pay,  sir,  I  beg  leave  to  assure  the  Congress,  that, 
as  no  pecuniary  consideration  could  have  tempted  me  to 
accept  this  arduous  employment,  at  the  expense  of  my 
domestic  ease  and  happiness,  I  do  not  wish  to  make  any 


16  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

profit  from  it.  I  will  keep  an  exact  account  of  my  ex- 
penses. Those,  I  doubt  not,  they  will  discharge,  and  that 
is  all  I  desire. 


THE  GREAT   IMMORTAL  WASHINGTON. 


W.    S.    HYDE. 

I        And  of  that  noble  land 
Who  so  valorously  arose 
To  fight  and  conquer  freedom's  foes, 
I  greet  you  on  this  honored  day. 
The  spirit  of  those  heroes  brave 
Is  with  us  here  to-night, 
And  though  slumbering  in  their  grave 
Their  memory  lives  to  light 
A  nation  great  on  glory's  path, 
And  stem  the  tide  of  human  wrath. 
This  day  we  meet, 
Each  friend  to  greet; 
While  recollections  to  us  come, 
They're  of  that  leader  whose  great  name 
Stands  high  within  the  niche  of  fame, 
The  great  immortal  Washington. 

More  than  a  hundred  years  ago 

This  youthful  nation  was  with  pride  aglow, 

Spirit  of  Freedom  filled  the  patriot  soul, 

And  bursts  of  joy  all  o'er  the  nation  stole; 

The  clouds  of  war,  which  o'er  the  country  spread, 

Filling  brave  hearts  with  manly  fear  and  dread, 

Had  vanished  and  Freedom's  beauteous  sky 

Changed  darkest  gloom  to  sweet  and  welcome  joy. 

The  din  of  battle  and  the  cannon's  roar 

Had  ceased  their  terror  into  souls  to  pour. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  17 

The  foe,  who  fought  a  nation's  hopes  to  blast, 
Defeated  were  driven  from  our  shores  at  last, 
Freedom  gained  sway  and  Liberty  was  king, 
And  a  new  era  did  at  last  begin. 

O  glorious  sight  to  see  on  bended  knee 

Him  whose  wisdom  made  this  country  free; 

That  valiant  leader,  who  from  battle  came 

To  prove  his  love,  and  base  ambition  shame, 

By  laying  down  his  tried  and  trusty  blade, 

Which  paved  the  way  and  for  us  freedom  made — 

Bowed  his  head  and  in  deep  and  fervent  tone, 

Asked  a  blessing  from  God's  holy  throne; 

Prayed  that  he  might  with  strength  and  wisdom  guide 

The  Ship  of  State  just  floated  on  the  tide. 

How  well  he  steered  that  new-made  craft  we  know — 

History  no  record  like  his  can  show — 

Well  can  we  say  his  work  was  nobly  done. 

Well  may  we  praise  the  deeds  of  Washington. 

This  day  we  should  on  high  our  voices  raise 

To  honor  him,  the  leader  of  that  band, 

Whose  valorous  deeds  won  freedom  for  this  land. 

O  Washington!     The  spirit  lives  to-day 

Enthroned  in  hearts  that  for  thee  pray; 

Grateful  for  olessing  which  thy  wisdom  won, 

The  dearest  blessing  to-day  beneath  the  sun, 

The  great  lessons  by  the  patriots  taught, 

The  glorious  victories  by  their  valor  won. 

Were  all  because  for  Freedom  blest  they  fought 

Trained  and  guided  by  the  great  Washington. 

Friends  of  Liberty,  now  assembled  here, 

Who  hold  the  honor  of  this  country  dear, 

Pledge  anew  upon  this  honored  day 

That  Freedom  ne'er  shall  from  this  country  stray; 

That  you'll  protect  the  prize  the  patriot  won, 

The  prize  willed  to  us  by  Washington. 


18  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Swear  by  the  faith  that  nerved  the  patriot's  arm 
That  you  will  shield  the  land  from  every  harm; 
That  you  will  man  the  precious  Ship  of  State, 
And  keep  her  sailing  in  her  course  so  great. 
For  all  our  blessings  we  should  reverence  pay 
To  him  who  opened  to  us  Freedom's  way, 
That  noble  soul  whose  generous  words  still  live, 
To  shame  the  bigot  and  strength  to  true  men  give. 

In  war  a  leader  fearless,  bold  and  brave; 

In  peace  a  ruler  whose  example  gave 

To  the  world  lessons  with  wisdom  fraught, 

Froving  that  'twas  for  Freedom  alone  he  fought; 

No  vain  glory  in  his  bosom  dwelt, 

Not  but  love  and  friendship  for  the  world  he  felt; 

And  when  the  mantle  of  power  upon  him  fell, 

Bowed  in  submission  and  bore  his  honors  well, 

■Left  a  proud  heritage  which  this  day  we  prize 

As  the  most  vaulted  'neath  heaven's  bright  skies. 

O  Washington!  thy  memory  ever  green, 

Thy  name  will  live  though  nations  pass  away; 

Kingdoms  will  crumble  from  earth's  busy  scene, 

And  empires  sink  forever  to  decay; — 

But  thy  great  work  not  built  by  man  alone 

Will  stand  the  test  of  ages  yet  unknown; 

Thy  fame  will  live  for  ages  yet  to  come, 

As  will  the  honors  which  thy  valor  won. 

O  may  thy  spirit  guide  us  from  on  high, 

Protect  our  bark  when  dangers  hover  nigh; 

May  those  who  guide  us  and  our  Ship  of  State, 

Prove  ever  worthy  of  a  trust  so  great. 

Freedom  was  won  by  hearts  brave  and  true  and  pure, 

And  planted  here  forever  to  endure; 

Praise  of  this  nation  heard  this  world  o'er, 

Its  greatness  wafted  from  sea  to  shore. 

We'll  guard  thy  sacred  gift  Oh  noble  son! 

We'll  praise  thy  victories  thy  valor  won; 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  19 

And  when  again  this  glorious  day  has  come, 
People  will  greet  as  now  the  name  of  Washington. 


WASHINGTON'S   BIRTHDAY  EVER  HONORED. 


GEORGE    HOWLAND. 


[May  be  sung  to  tune  "  America."] 

WELCOME,  thou  festal  morn! 
Never  be  passed  in  scorn 
%     Thy  rising  sun, 
Thou  day  forever  bright 
With  Freedom's  holy  light, 
That  gave  the  world  the  sight 
Of  Washington. 

Unshaken  'mid  the  storm, 
Behold  that  noble  form — 

That  peerless  one — 
With  his  protecting  hand, 
Like  Freedom's  angel  stand, 
The  guardian  of  our  land, 

Our  Washington. 

Traced  there  in  lines  of  light 
Where  all  pure  rays  unite, 

Obscured  by  none; 
Brightest  on  history's  page, 
Of  any  clime  or  age, 
As  chieftain,  man  and  sage, 

Stands  Washington. 

Name  at  which  tyrants  pale, 
And  their  proud  legions  quail, 

Their  boasting  done, 
While  Freedom  lifts  her  head 
No  longer  filled  with  dread, 
Her  sons  to  victory  led 

By  Washington. 


20 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


Now  the  true  patriots  see, 
The  foremost  of  the  free, 

The  victory  won, 
In  Freedom's  presence  bow, 
While  sweetly  smiling  now 
She  wreathes  the  spotless  brow 

Of  Washington. 

Then,  with  each  coming  year, 
Wherever  shall  appear 

That  natal  sun, 
Will  we  attest  the  worth        / 
Of  one  true  man  to  earth, 
And  celebrate  the  birth 

Of  Washington. 


THE  FATHER  OF  OUR  LAND. 


X 


3 


1.  0  I  sing  we    now   of  Wash-ing-ton,  The    fa  -  ther  of  our    land;  Whose 

2.  0  !  sing   of    mod  -  est  Wash-iHg- ton,  Who  loved  his  fel- low    men;  Who 


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m 


m 


va  -  lor,    in   -    de  -  pen-dence  wtm  With  his  brave  pa  -  triot  band.    Then 
on  -  ly  sought  his   country's  good  And  nev  -  er  thought  of   gain.      For 


| 


£ 


sing  hisfame,  brave  Wash-ing  -  ton, Whose  name in-spires   us       all;     Who 
he  could  e'en  have  been      a    king,  So     well    be-lovedwas     he;      But 


s 


JIJ  -I  J  J  I.).  II 


jEZ 


led       the   pa -triot   ar  -  my    on  When  he  heard  his    coun  -  try's   call, 
all        he  wished  for  was    to    set   His  be  •  lov  -  ed    coun  -  try      free. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  21 


WASHINGTON. 


JOSEPH    HOPKINSON. 

SOUND,  sound  the  trump  of  fame! 
Let  Washington's  great  name 
Ring  through  the  world  with  loud  applause; 
Let  every  clime  to  freedom  dear 
Listen  with  a  joyful  ear. 

With  equal  skill,  with  godlike  power, 
He  governs  in  the  fearful  hour 
Of  horrid  war,  or  guides  with  ease 
The  happier  times  of  honest  peace. 

Behold  the  chief,  who  now  commands, 

Once  more  to  serve  his  country  stands — 
The  rock  on  which  the  storm  will  beat, 

But  armed  in  virtue,  firm  and  true. 

His  hopes  are  fixed  on  heaven  and  you. 
When  hope  was  sinking  in  dismay, 
WThen  glooms  obscured  Columbia's  day, 

His  steady  mind,  from  changes  free, 

Resolved  on  death  or  liberty! 


OUR  WASHINGTON. 


HIGH,  high  inscribed  upon  the  scroll  of  fame, 
Indelible,  there  stands  a  spotless  name 
In  characters  of  gold — by  none  outshone — 
The  patriot,  warrior,  statesman,  Washington! 

In  Freedom's  cause  he  bravely  drew  his  sword; 
With  wisdom  did  he  shape  his  every  word; 
Campaigns  he  planned  with  daring  strategy; 
Battles  he  fought,  and  won  a  glorious  victory! 


/ 


22  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Then  sheathed  his  sword  with  matchless,  modest  grace, 

And  gladly  in  his  quiet  home  sought  peace; 

Nor  from  that  lovely  rural  shade  came  forth 

Till  called  the  Ship  of  State  to  guide.     His  worth 

To  liberty  is  recognized  by  all 

To-day,  where  sounds  fair  Freedom's  trumpet  call. 

Time's  onsweep  never  will  the  luster  dim 
Of  his  well-won,  unsought,  unsullied  fame; 
The  millions  of  this  happy  land  well  may 
With  joy  observe  our  Washington's  birthday. 


WASHINGTON'S   LIFE. 


ELIZA    COOK. 

ONLY  a  baby,  fair  and  small, 
Like  many  another  baby  son, 
Whose  smiles  and  tears  came  swift  at  call; 
Who  ate,  and  slept,  and  grew,  that's  all, — 
The  infant  Washington. 

Only  a  boy,  like  other  boys; 

With  tasks  and  studies,  sports  and  fun; 
Fond  of  his  books  and  games  and  toys; 
Living  his  childish  griefs  and  joys, — 

The  little  Washington. 

Only  a  lad,  awkward  and  shy, 

Skilled  in  handling  a  horse  or  gun; 
Mastering  knowledge  that,  by  and  by, 
Should  aid  him  in  duties  great  and  high, — 
The  youthful  Washington. 

Only  a  man  of  finest  bent, 

Hero  of  battles  fought  and  won; 
Surveyor,  general,  president, 
Who  served  his  country,  and  died  content, — 

The  patriot  Washington. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  23 

Only — ah!  what  was  the  secret,  then, 

Of  his  being  America's  honored  son? 
Why  was  he  famed  above  other  men, 
His  name  upon  every  tongue  and  pen, 
The  illustrious  Washington? 

A  mighty  brain,  a  will  to  endure, 

Passions  subdued,  a  slave  to  none, 
A  heart  that  was  brave  and  strong  and  sure, 
A  soul  that  was  noble  and  great  and  pure, 
A  faith  in  God  that  was  held  secure, — 
This  was  George  Washington. 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON. 


BY  broad  Potomac's  silent  shore, 
Better  than  Trajan  lowly  lies, 
Gilding  her  green  declivities 
With  glory  now  and  evermore; 
Art  to  his  fame  no  aid  hath  lent; 
His  country  is  his  monument. 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON. 


I   SAW  him  standing  in  the  crowd, 
A  comely  youth  and  fair; 
There  was  a  brightness  in  his  eye, 

A  glory  in  his  hair. 
I  saw  his  comrades  gaze  on  him — 

His  comrades  standing  by; 
I  heard  them  whisper  each  to  each, 
"  He  never  told  a  lie!  " 

I  thought  of  questions  very  hard 

For  boys  to  answer  right: 
"  How  did  you  tear  those  pantaloons?  " 

"  My  son,  what  caused  the  fight?  " 


24  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

"  Who  left  the  gate  ajar  last  night?  " 
"  Who  bit  the  pumpkin  pie?  " 

What  boy  could  answer  all  of  these 
And  never  tell  a  lie? 

I  proudly  took  him  by  the  hand, 

My  words  with  praise  were  rife; 
I  blessed  that  boy  who  never  told 

A  falsehood  in  his  life. 
I  told  him  I  was  proud  of  him. 

A  fellow  standing  by 
Informed  me  that  that  boy  was  dumb 

Who  never  told  a  lie! 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 


[Recitation  for  five  small  boys.     Each  boy  holds  in  his  right  hand  a  card  with  date,  lifting 
it  high  during  his  recitation.] 

1732. 

First  boy. —    Yes,  seventeen  hundred  thirty-two, — 
That  is  the  date  which  I  hold  here, 
And  Washington,  the  great,  was  born 
In  February  of  that  year. 

1775- 
Second  boy. — He  swept  the  land  of  lord  and  king, 
Before  his  sword  the  foeman  fled. 
The  time  was  seventeen  hundred  seventy-five 
When  he  stepped  to  our  army's  head. 

I783- 
Third  boy. —  In  seventeen  hundred  eighty-three 

He  saw  the  strife,  the  battles  done, 
A  nation  born,  a  land  made  free, 
A  country  from  the  tyrant  won. 


WASHING  TON  DA  Y  BOOK.  25 

1789. 

Fourth  boy. — "  Be  President!  "  the  people  cried; 
So  first  in  presidential  line 
He  served  our  land  with  love  and  zeal, 
In  seventeen  hundred  eighty-nine. 

1799. 

Fifth  boy. —    In  seventeen  hundred  ninety-nine 
Low  lay  his  well-loved  head, 
While  mournful  bells  and  flags  half-mast 
Told  Washington  was  dead. 

All. —  O  "  first  in  war  and  first  in  peace," 

Our  Washington,  the  true,  the  brave, 
We'll  ever  keep  thy  mem'ry  green, 
And  ever  guard  thy  honored  grave. 


THE  TWENTY-SECOND  OF   FEBRUARY. 


WILLIAM    CULLEN    BRYANT. 

PALE  is  the  February  sky, 
And  brief  the  midday's  sunny  hours; 
The  wind-swept  forest  seems  to  sigh 

For  the  sweet  time  of  leaves  and  flowers. 

Yet  has  no  month  a  prouder  day, 
Not  even  when  the  Summer  broods 

O'er  meadows  in  their  fresh  array, 
Or  Autumn  tints  the  glowing  woods. 

For  this  chill  season  now  again 

Brings,  in  its  annual  round,  the  morn 

When,  greatest  of  the  sons  of  men, 
Our  glorious  Washington  was  born. 


26  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Lo,  where,  beneath  an  icy  shield, 
Calmly  the  mighty  Hudson  flows! 

By  snow-clad  fell  and  frozen  field 
Broadening  the  lordly  river  goes. 

The  wildest  storm  that  sweeps  through  space, 
And  rends  the  oak  with  sudden  force, 

Can  raise  no  ripple  on  his  face, 
Or  slacken  his  majestic  course. 

Thus  'mid  the  wreck  of  thrones  shall  live 
Unmarred,  undimmed,  our  hero's  fame; 

And  years  succeeding  years  shall  give 
Increase  of  honors  to  his  name. 


A  MODERN   WASHINGTON. 


JOE.    LINCOLN. 

T  OTHER  day  our  teacher  read 
From  a  hist'ry  book  that  told 
'Bout  George  Washin'ton,  and  said 

He  wuz  always  gooder'n  gold. 
Didn't  act  like  boys  now  does, 

And  he  never  told  a  lie; 
Never  said  a  thing  but  wuz 

Honest  Injun,  hope  to  die; 
And  we  fellers  wished  that  we 
Wuz  as  good's  he  uster  be. 

Teacher  read  us  'bout  that  ax 

That  his  father  gave  him,  and 
How  George,  he  skips  out  and  hacks 

Down  a  tree  to  beat  the  band; 
And  his  pa  wuz  wild,  you  know, 

'Cause  'twuz  a  expensive  tree, 
But  George  couldn't  lie,  and  so 

He  just  sez:  "  Yes,  pa,  'twuz  me  "- 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  27 

And  his  pa,  he  almos'  cried, 
He's  so  glad  George  hadn't  lied. 

Well,  last  night  I  wanted  some 

Marmalade  down  off  the  shelf 
In  the  pantry — it  wuz  plum — 

And  I  thought  I'd  help  myself. 
Then — 'twuz  just  my  mean,  old  luck — 

Hit  a  jar  I  hadn't  seen, 
Down  it  went,  and,  course,  it  struck 

Right  on  top  the  soup  tureen. 
Goodness  sakes!   Don't  say  a  word! 
Worsest  smash  you  ever  heard. 

Well,  I  just  skipped  out  of  that — 

Heard  pa  comin'  on  the  run — 
Might  a-laid  it  on  the  cat. 

But  I  thought  of  Washin'ton, 
And  I  says:  "  Now,  I  won't  shirk;  " 

So,  when  pa  had  seen  the  mess, 
And  says:   "  Sam,  is  this  your  work?  " 

Just  like  George,  I  answers:  "  Yes." 
Golly!  what  fixed  him  all  right 
Never  worked  for  me  a  mite. 

What's  the  use  of  tellin'  more! 

If  your  ear  had  just  been  pressed 
Up  against  our  woodshed  door 

You'd  a-found  out  all  the  rest. 
George's  pa  said,  right  away: 

"  To  my  arms,  my  noble  boy!  " 
I  went  on  pa's  knee,  and  say! 

'Twuzn't  nuthin'  to  enjoy. 
Boys  that's  Washin'tons,  gee  whiz! 
Need  to  have  a  pa  like  his. 


28  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

WASHINGTON'S   BIRTHDAY. 


ARTHUR   J.    BURDICK. 

ALL  honor  to  that  day  which  long  ago 
Gave  birth  to  him  who  Freedom's  cause  espoused; 
Who,  by  his  ardor  in  the  sacred  fight, 

The  fire  and  strength  of  patriots  aroused; 
Who  knew  no  master,  save  that  One  divine 

Whose  strength  was  his,  who  knew  no  fear,  save  one — 
The  fear  of  doing  wrong!    All  hail  the  day 

That  gave  to  Freedom's  cause  George  Washington. 

Years  come  and  go,  and  generations  fall 

Into  the  dust.    The  world  its  heroes  gives. 
They  step  upon  the  stage,  then  pass  away 

And  are  no  more,  but  Freedom  ever  lives. 
And  while  it  lives,  and  while  its  banner  bright 

Is  upward  flung  into  the  golden  sun, 
Within  the  heart  of  every  freeman's  child 

Will  live  that  honored  name,  George  Washington. 

Then  honor  to  the  day  that  gave  him  birth, 

For  it  is  also  Freedom's  natal  day. 
Let  all  who  worship  Freedom's  cause  stand  forth 

And  to  his  memory  their  homage  pay. 
And  let  each  loyal  son  the  work  take  up — 

For,  know  ye,  Freedom's  work  is  never  done — 
And  greater,  grander,  build  the  edifice 

Begun  so  long  ago  by  Washington. 


WASHINGTON. 


WHEN  General  Washington  was  young, 
About  as  large  as  I, 
He  never  would  permit  his  tongue 
To  tell  a  wilful  lie.   ' 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  29 

Once,  when  he  cut  his  father's  tree, 

He  owned  it  to  his  face, 
And  then  his  father  tenderly 

Clasped  him  in  his  embrace. 

He  told  his  son  it  pleased  him  more 

For  him  to  own  the  truth, 
Than  if  his  tree  was  bending  o'er 

With  gold  and  silver  fruit. 

Then,  like  this  brave  and  noble  boy, 

Whose  virtues  brightly  shone, 
If  I  my  father's  tree  destroy, 
The  truth  I'll  surely  own. 


WASHINGTON. 


THOMAS    M.    MENIHAN. 

NO  heroes  of  the  ancient  time 
With  Washington  compare, 
No  statesman  of  the  days  of  yore 
Displayed  such  wisdom  rare. 

Leonidas  was  brave,  we're  told, 

And  did  great  glory  gain; 
Who  fought  at  famed  Thermopylae, 

WThere  despot  hosts  were  slain. 

Examp1es  shown  in  ancient  Rome 

Of  valor  and  renown, 
As  when  Horatio  kent  the  bridge 

And  nobly  saved  the  town. 

The  story  of  proud  Regulus 

Our  souls  must  ever  thrill, 
Whose  love  of  Rome  and  freedom's  charms 

Fierce  tortures  could  not  kill. 


30  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Of  William  Tell  may  all  speak  well, 

Who  manfully  withstood 
The  haughty  tyrant's  harsh  command 

Who  would  have  shed  his  blood. 

Yet  none  of  these  so  great  and  good 

Can  equal  merit  claim 
With  him  we  honor  on  this  day 

In  bright  and  spotless  fame. 

That  fame  so  bright  shall  know  no  blight, 
.Though  others  pale  with  time, 

For  deeds  like  his  will  e'er  be  sung 
With  joy  in  every  clime. 

May  this  great  land  of  ours  be  true 
To  what  he  said  and  taught, 

And  keep  his  words  in  memory  fresh 
With  rarest  wisdom  fraught. 

To  patriots  all  his  honored  name 
An  heirloom  has  become — 

A  beacon  light  to  all  who  seek 
True  freedom's  peaceful  home. 

A  star  of  hope  in  peace  and  war 

Will  be  our  Washington, 
To  those  who  guide  the  Ship  of  State 

With  favoring  gales  to  run. 

The  fields  of  glory  where  he  led 
Proclaim  aloud  his  praise, 

And  make  his  name  a  talisman 
Unto  remotest  days. 

The  natal  day  of  Washington 

Must  e're  to  patriots  be 
A  course  of  hope  and  courage  too, 

In  every  land  and  sea. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  81 

The  friends  of  freedom  everywhere, 

In  this  broad  land  we  tread, 
Agree  to  honor  Washington — 

His  fame  still  wider  spread. 

At  each  recurrence  of  the  day, 

With  joy  we'll  celebrate 
The  praises  of  our  foremost  man, 

Our  chieftain,  wise  and  great. 


THE  WASHINGTON  MONUMENT. 


EDNA    DEAN    PROCTOR. 

HAVE  you  seen,  by  Potomac,  that  shaft  in  the  skies, 
Soaring  proud  from  the  meadows  to  mate  with  the 
sun, 
Now  misty  and  gray  as  the  clouds  it  defies, 

Now  bright  in  the  splendor  its  daring  has  won? 
The  winds  are  its  comrades,  the  lightning,  the  storm, 

The  first  flush  of  dawn  on  its  summit  shines  fair, 
And  the  last  ray  of  sunset  illumines  its  form, 
Towering  grand  and  alone  in  the  limitless  air. 

By  Nile  rise  the  pyramids,  wrapped  in  the  shades 

Of  ages  that  passed  as  the  waves  on  the  shore, 
And  Karnak  majestic,  whose  vast  colonnades 

A  god  might  have  fashioned  for  man  to  adore; 
And  Baalbek  uplifts,  like  a  vision  divine. 

Its  wonder  of  beauty  by  Lebanon's  wall; 
But  captive  and  slave  reared  in  sorrow  the  shrine, 

The  palace,  the  temple,  the  pyramid  tall. 

To  freedom  Potomac's  proud  obelisk  towers, 
And  Karnak  and  Baalbek  in  beauty  outvies! 

For  Washington's  glory  its  grandeur  empowers, 
And  freemen  with  joy  piled  its  stones  to  the  skies. 


32  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

O  symbol  of  liberty,  matchless,  sublime, 

Still  soar  from  the  meadows  to  mate  with  the  sun, 

And  see  thy  republic,  to  uttermost  time, 
The  noble,  the  peerless,  the  many  in  one! 


WASHINGTON. 


[Epigrams  for  five  boys  or  girls.     Inscriptions  on  Washington's  tomb  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Va.J 

First  boy. — "  The  brave,  the  wise,  the  good." 
Second  boy. — "Supreme  in  war,  in  council,  and  in  peace." 
Third  boy. — "  Valiant  without  ambition,  discreet  without 
fear,  confident  without  presumption." 

Fourth  boy. — "  In  disaster  calm,  in  success  moderate, 
in  all,  himself." 

Fifth  boy. — "  The  patriot,  the  Christian;  the  Father  of 
nations,  the  friend  of  mankind,  who,  when  he  had  won  all, 
renounced  all;  and  sought  in  the  bosom  of  his  family  and 
of  nature  retirement;  and  in  the  hope  of  religion  immor- 
tality." 


WASHINGTON'S    ADMINISTRATION. 


[Blackboard  outline  for  pupils.] 

Whiskey  Rebellion. 

Algerian  Treaty. 

Spanish  Treaty. 

Hamilton,  Secretary  of  Treasury. 

Indian  Troubles. 
Rational  Debt. 
Genet  Recalled. 

|he  Bank  and  Mint. 
Opposition  to  Jay's  Treaty. 
Row  Washington  Retires. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  33 

[Teacher's  outline.] 

\^hen  the  "  Whiskey  Rebellion  "  occurred  in  1794,  fifteen 
thousand  militia  were  ordered  out  to  subdue  it. 

/[lgiers  concluded  a  treaty  with  the  United  States  by 
which  our  captives  were  released  and  the  Mediter- 
ranean commerce  was  opened  to  our  ships. 

Spain  entered  into  a  treaty  which  secured  to  the  United 
States  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  fixed 
the  boundary  of  Florida. 

Hamilton  was  "  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  "  at  this  time. 
Webster  said  of  him,  "  He  touched  the  dead  corpse  of 
public  credit,  and  it  sprang  upon  its  feet." 
[ndians  from  the  Northwest  were  subdued  by  "  Mad  An- 
thony Wayne."  They  gave  up  all  of  Ohio  and  part  of 
Indiana. 

Row  taxes  were  levied  on  imported  goods  and  the  distilla- 
tion of  spirits  to  provide  funds  for  paying  national 
debt. 

Genet,  the  French  Minister,  was  recalled  because  he 
showed  too  much  sympathy  for  the  French,  when  war 
broke  out  between  England  and  France. 

|he  national  bank  and  mint  were  established  at  Phila- 
delphia. These  measures  put  the  credit  of  the  United 
States  on  a  firm  basis. 

Opposition  was  violent  when  the  treaty  that  Chief  Justice 
Jay  negotiated  with  England  was  ratified  by  the 
Senate. 

Now  Washington,  having  finished  two  terms,  declined  a 
third  term,  and  issued  his  farewell  address. 


I  am  not  less  sure  that  General  Washington  would  have 
spurned  a  sceptre,  if  within  his  grasp,  than  I  am  that  it  was 
out  of  his  reach  if  he  had  secretly  sighed  for  it. — James 
Madison. 


34  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

GEORGE   WASHINGTON'S   LIFE. 


HALE    HOWARD    RICHARDSON. 

[Suitable  for  boys  or  girls.] 

First  pupil. —     His  childish  life  was  pure  and  bright, 
Truth  always  was  his  guide, 
And  youthful  days 
And  manhood's  ways 
Had  for  him  this  world's  greatest  praise, 
True  honor  sanctified. 

Second  pupil. —  He  played  as  little  children  play, 
With  toys  and  picture-books, 
Found  flowers  and  berries  in  the  wood, 
Fished  in  the  laughing  brooks. 

Third  pupil. —    He  found  his  lessons  just  as  hard 
As  you  and  I  do  now, 
And  loved  the  scanty  holidays 
His  teacher  would  allow. 

Fourth  pupil. —  His  schooldays  o'er,  he  worked  and  toiled 
In  the  wild  Virginia  land, 
And  many  a  hardship  he  endured, 
As  chart  and  map  he  planned. 

Fifth  pupil. —     A  soldier  in  the  patriot  ranks, 

With  heart  and  hand  he  fought 
Resisting  tyranny  and  wrong — 
Justice  was  all  he  sought. 

Sixth  pupil. —     Such  honest  worth  and  valor  grand 
Alike  won  friend  and  foe: 
His  life  achieved  the  truest  fame 
This  world  may  ever  know. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  35 

Seventh  pupil. — A  rank  outrivaling  prince  and  king, 
And  now  his  monument 
Attracts  the  eyes  of  all  the  world — 
This  prospering  continent! 

All. —  As  every  year  his  birthday  comes, 

Let  us  not  be  content 

To  praise  his  name, 

But  let  us  aim 

That  we  such  loyal  hearts  shall  frame 
As  our  first  president. 


WASHINGTON'S   RULES   OF   BEHAVIOR. 


[Written  when  thirteen  years  old.] 

WHEN  you  speak  of  God  or  His  attributes  let  it  be 
seriously,  in  reverence.  Honor  and  obey  your 
natural  parents  although  they  be  poor. 

In  your  apparel  be  modest  and  endeavor  to  accommo- 
date nature  rather  than  to  procure  admiration;  keep  to 
the  fashion  of  your  equals,  such  as  are  civil  and  orderly 
with  respect  to  time  and  place. 

Think  before  you  speak;  pronounce  not  imperfectly  nor 
bring  out  your  words  too  hastily,  but  orderly  and  dis- 
tinctly. 

Undertake  not  what  you  cannot  perform,  but  be  careful 
to  keep  your  promises. 

Be  not  tedious  in  discourse;  make  not  many  digres- 
sions nor  repeat  often  the  same  manner  of  discourse. 

Let  your  countenance  be  pleasant,  but  in  serious  mat- 
ters somewhat  grave. 

Associate  yourself  with  men  of  good  quality,  if  you  es- 
teem your  reputation;  for  it  is  better  to  be  alone  than  in 
bad  company. 

Be  not  hasty  to  believe  flying  reports  to  the  disparage- 
ment of  any. 


36  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Be  not  apt  to  relate  news  if  you  know  not  the  truth 
thereof.  In  discoursing  of  things  you  have  heard,  name 
not  your  author  always.     A  secret  discover  not. 

Every  action  in  company  ought  to  be  with  some  sign  of 
respect  to  those  present. 

In  the  presence  of  others,  sing  not  to  yourself  with  a 
humming  noise,  nor  drum  with  your  fingers  or  feet. 

Sleep  not  when  others  speak;  sit  not  when  others  stand; 
speak  not  when  you  should  hold  your  peace;  jog  not  the 
table  or  desk  on  which  another  reads  or  writes;  lean  not 
on  any  one. 

Read  no  letters,  books  or  papers  in  company,  but  when 
there  is  a  necessity  for  doing  it,  you  must  ask  leave. 

Be  not  curious  to  know  the  affairs  of  others,  neither 
approach  to  those  that  speak  in  private. 

Make  no  show  of  taking  great  delight  in  your  victuals; 
feed  not  with  greediness;  lean  not  on  the  table;  neither 
find  fault  with  what  you  eat. 

Let  your  discourse  with  men  of  business  be  short  and 
comprehensive. 

Be  not  obstinate  in  your  opinions;  in  things  indifferent, 
be  of  the  major  side. 

Be  not  forward,  but  friendly  and  courteous;  the  first  to 
salute,  hear  and  answer;  and  be  not  pensive  when  it  is 
time  to  converse. 

Utter  not  base  and  frivolous  things  among  grave  and 
learned  men,  nor  very  difficult  questions  nor  subjects 
among  the  ignorant,  nor  things  hard  to  be  believed. 

Show  not  yourself  glad  at  the  misfortune  of  another, 
though  he  be  your  enemy. 

Labor  to  keep  alive  in  your  breast  that  little  spark  of 
celestial  fire — conscience. 


Welcome  to  the  day  returning, 

Dearer  still  as  aprs  flow, 
While  the  torch  of  faith  is  burning, 

Long  as  Freedom's  altars  gflow! — 0.  W.  Holmes. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

JUST  LIKE  WASHINGTON. 


IF  there  was  only  a  war, 
I'd  have  a  gun, 
Just  like  the  great  General 

Washington. 
Soon  over  my  shoulder 

I'd  sling  it — so — 
And  then  to  the  contest 
Bravely  I'd  go. 

If  there  was  only  a  war 

I'd  strive  to  be 
The  greatest  defender 

Of  liberty. 
I'd  follow  the  steps 

Of  Washington, 
And  fight  and  conquer 

Ev-er-y  one. 

Then,  too,  if  I'm  good, 

Ev-er-y  day, 
Shall  I  not  be  a  hero 

In  a  smaller  way? 
It's  harder  to  do  right 

From  day  to  day, 
Than  to  carry  a  musket 

In  a  fray. 

I'll  be  a  peace  hero — 

That  I  will; 
I'll  study  my  lessons 

And — keep  very  still 
When  my  work  is  done; — 

And  then  I'll  be 
Just  like  the  great  hero, 

Washington. 


38  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

WASHINGTON. 


D.    H.    BOLLES. 

TRANSCENDENT  man!   His  mortal  part 
Has  long  since  passed  our  ken, 
Yet  face  and  form,  by  painter's  art, 
Are  made  to  live  again. 

What  majesty  imbued  that  form! 

What  grandeur  marked  that  brow! 
Sure  nature  never  did  perform 

Her  noblest  work  till  now. 

She  lent  to  it  her  utmost  skill, 

Her  touch,  firm,  but  elastic, 
And,  as  her  crowning  act  of  will, 

She  used  her  choicest  plastic. 

The  people  leaned  on  his  great  arm; 

He  bade  the  nation  live. 
He  was  their  rock  in  war's  alarm, 

Their  safe  alternative. 

He  moved  through  scenes  of  waste  and  war, 

Pitying  yet  serene; 
Heart  wrung  was  he,  but  yet  needs  wore 

A  firm  and  steadfast  mein. 

When  peace  ensued,  the  wasted  land 

Involved  e'en  greater  care; 
Th'  appalling  task  made  stern  demand 

For  all  his  wisdom  rare. 

This  nation  is  an  object  proof 

Of  what  the  man  has  done; 
Of  what  he  was  it  is  enough 

To  name  it,  "  Washington." 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  39 

Oh,  grandest  life,  sublimest  soul! 

Oh,  proudest  mortal  name! 
Through  coming  time,  as  ages  roll 

They  carry  down  thy  fame. 


THE  BIRTHDAY   LESSON. 


MARY    LIVINGSTON    BURDICK. 

TO-DAY'S  a  holiday,  you  know, 
And  so  we  children,  just  for  fun, 
Said  we  would  dress  like  old-time  folks, 
And  I'd  be  Martha  Washington. 

We  searched  through  all  the  garret's  chests 
And  found,  among  forgotten  hoards, 

The  stiffest  silks,  and  old  brocades, 

And  ruffled  caps,  and  tarnished  swords. 

And  when  at  last  we  all  were  dressed, 
We  went  to  my  great-grandma's  room. 

She  smiled  and  colored  with  delight, 
Until  her  cheeks  were  all  in  bloom. 

But  somehow,  her  blue  eyes  grew  grave 
As  each  girl  told  her  chosen  name, 

And  finally  she  gently  said, 
"  It  is  a  very  pretty  game. 

"  Yet  take  care,  children,  that  you  wear, 
Not  only  clothes  of  ancient  days, 

But  manners  of  those  gracious  dames, 
Who  won  all  by  their  gentle  ways. 

"  The  brow  beneath  your  powdered  hair 
Is  very  fair,  my  great  grand-child; 

So  keep  your  thoughts;    and  let  your  eyes 
Reflect  a  heart  both  true  and  mild. 


40  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

"  This  hand  which  holds  a  painted  fan 
Must  work,  that  tired  hands  may  rest; 

Since  Martha  Washington,  you  know, 
Could  spin  and  weave  at  want's  request. 

"  The  feet  where  buckled  slippers  shine 
May  some  day  tread  a  thorny  road. 

Hold  fast  the  pictures  of  brave  lives, 
And  never  falter  with  the  load." 

Then  dear  great-grandma  blessed  us  all, 
And  down  the  hall  our  steps  we  turned. 

It  is  a  holiday,  it's  true, 

But  every  girl  her  lesson  learned. 


HINTS   FOR  OBSERVING   WASHINGTON'S 
BIRHTDAY. 


[In  order  that  the  annual  exercises  in  connection  with  Washing-ion's  birthday  might  re- 
sult in  a  wider  knowledge  of  his  life  and  a  fuller  appreciation  of  his  character,  the  beard 
of  supervisors,  Boston,  offered  to  the  teachers  the  following  suggestions  for  specializ  ng 
the  work  according  to  the  age  and  attainments  of  the  pupils: — J 

Grades  One  to  Three. — In  the  primary  schools  the  aim 
should  be  to  make  the  children  familiar  with  the  name  of 
Washington,  and,  in  a  general  way,  with  his  character  and 
public  service. 

Grade  Four. — Washington  as  a  boy;  home,  parents, 
home  life,  sports;  kind  of  boy  he  was;  Lawrence  Wash- 
ington. 

Grade  Five. — Washington  at  school;  kind  of  school, 
studies,  exercise  books,  surveying;   rules  of  conduct. 

Grade  Six. — Washington  as  a  surveyor;  recall  his  boy- 
hood; his  friends  the  Fairfaxes;  employment  as  surveyor; 
his  preparation  for  it;  life  in  the  woods;  life  at  Belvoir; 
quality  of  his  work;   character  exhibited. 

Grade  Seven. — Washington  in  the  French  War;  recall 
earlier  life;   first  military  office;  mission  to  the  Ohio;   first 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  41 

campaign,  Fort  Necessity;  Braddock  campaign;  charac- 
ter exhibited. 

Grade  Eight. — Washington  in  the  Revolution;  recall 
earlier  life;  appointment  as  commander;  acceptance  of 
office;  personal  sacrifice  involved;  previous  preparation 
for;  taking  command;  his  work  at  Boston;  at  Trenton 
and  Princeton;  at  Valley  Forge;  his  resignation;  char- 
acter exhibited. 

Grade  Nine. — Washington  as  president;  recall  earlier 
life;  election  to  presidency;  personal  sacrifice;  prepara- 
tion for  civil  and  military  life;  most  important  events; 
visit  to  Boston;   the  farewell  address;   character  exhibited. 

Review  of  life,  noticing  especially  the  preparation  af- 
forded by  each  new  work  for  the  next,  and  the  qualities  of 
character  exhibited  in  each. 

In  the  lower  grades  the  material  would  best  be  gathered 
by  the  teacher  and  presented  to  the  class.  Interesting 
descriptive  passages  should  be  read  to  them. 

In  the  upper  grades  pupils  should  be  referred  to  the 
best  sources  of  information,  and  should  be  expected  to 
gather  material  for  themselves. 

In  all  grammar  grades  maps  should  be  freely  used,  and 
compositions  should  accompany  all  the  work.  Many  of 
the  Rules  of  Conduct  [see  page  35]  early  copied  by 
Washington,  could  be  profitably  memorized  by  the  pupils 
and  all  the  higher  classes  should  learn  the  last  maxim, 
"  Labor  to  keep  alive  in  your  breast  that  little  spark  of 
celestial  fire — conscience." 


Who,  like  Washington,  after  having  emancipated  a 
hemisphere,  resigned  his  crown  and  preferred  the  retire- 
ment of  domestic  life  to  the  adoration  of  a  land  he  might 
almost  be  said  to  have  created. — Charles  Phillips. 


42  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


WASHINGTON'S   LIFE. 


M.    ALICE    BRYANT. 


[Recitation  for  five  small  pupils.     Let  each  pupil  hold  in  right  hand  a  card  with  date, 
lifting  it  high  during  recitation.] 

1732. 

First  pupil. —    In  seventeen  hundred  thirty-two 
George  Washington  was  born; 
Truth,  goodness,  skill,  and  glory  high 
His  whole  life  did  adorn. 

1775- 
Second  pupil. — In  seventeen  hundred  seventy-five 
The  chief  command  he  took 
Of  all  the  army  in  the  State, 
Who  ne'er  his  flag  forsook. 

1/83- 

Third  pupil. —  In  seventeen  hundred  eighty-three 
Retired  to  private  life; 
He  saw  his  much-loved  country  free 
From  battle  and  from  strife. 

1789. 

Fourth  pupil. — In  seventeen  hundred  eighty-nine 
The  country,  with  one  voice, 
Proclaimed  him  President,  to  shine; 
Blessed  by  the  people's  choice. 

1799. 

Fifth  pupil. —    In  seventeen  hundred  ninety-nine 
The  nation's  tears  were  shed, 
To  see  the  patriot  life  resign, 
And  sleep  among  the  dead. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  43 

All. —  As  "  first  in  war,  and  first  in  peace," 

As  patriot,  father,  friend, — 
He  will  be  blessed  till  time  shall  cease, 
And  earthly  life  shall  end. 


"I'M  THE  LITTLE   RED  STAMP." 


SAM    WALTER    FOSS. 


[The  pupil  who  recites  this  may  have  a  large  postage  stamp  drawn  with  the  right  colors 
on  minila  paper,  to  hold  before  the  audience  during  last  stanza.] 

I'M'  the  little  red  stamp  with  George  Washington's  pic- 
ture ; 

I  have  the  right  of  way; 
And  the  mail  train  thunders  from  under  the  stars 

And  rattles  into  the  day. 
Now  clear  the  rail  for  your  Uncle  Sam's  mail; 

Ye  freight  trains  stand  aside! 
Spur  your  iron-lunged  horse  to  his  fullest  speed, 

For  the  little  red  stamp  would  ride. 
So  vomit  your  flame  on  the  startled  night 

And  your  smoke  in  the  face  of  the  day; 
For  the  little  red  stamp  with  George  Washington's  picture 

Must  have  the  right  of  way. 

The  engine  ploughs,  when  I  start  on  my  ride, 

Through  the  drifted  banks  of  snow; 
But  we  hasten  to  climes  where  the  rivers  melt 

And  climes  where  the  roses  blow. 
First  the  pines  of  Maine,  then  the  Kansan  plain, 

Then  whiffs  from  the  Western  Bay, 
Till  I  drop  in  the  hands  that  have  reached  for  me 

A  thousand  leagues  away. 
Pull  open  the  throttle  and  loose  every  brake, 

And  dash  through  the  night  and  the  day; 
For  the  little  red  stamp  with  George  Washington's  picture 

Must  have  the  right  of  way. 


44  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

I'm  the  little  red  stamp  with  George  Washington's  picture, 

And  I  go  wherever  I  may, 
To  any  spot  in  George  Washington's  land; 

And  I  go  by  the  shortest  way. 
And  the  guns  of  wrath  would  clear  my  path, 
•     A  thousand  guns  at  need, 
Of  the  hands  that  should  dare  to  block  my  course 

Or  slacken  my  onward  speed. 
Stand  back!   Hands  off  of  Uncle  Sam's  mail! 

Stand  back  there!    Back!  I  say; 
For  the  little  red  stamp  with  George  Washington's  picture 

Must  have  the  rig-lit  of  wav. 


TROUBLES  OF  THE  FIRST  ADMINISTRATION. 


JOHN    MARSHALL. 

THROUGHOUT  the  United  States,  the  party  opposed 
to  the  Constitution  had  charged  its  supporters  with 
the  desire  to  establish  a  monarchy  on  the  ruins  of  repub- 
lican government;  and  the  Constitution  itself  was  alleged 
to  contain  principles  which  would  prove  the  truth  of  this 
charge.  The  leaders  of  that  party  had,  therefore,  been 
ready  from  the  instant  the  government  came  into  opera- 
tion to  discover,  in  all  its  measures,  those  monarchical 
tendencies  which  they  had  perceived  in  the  instrument 
they  had  opposed. 

The  salaries  allowed  to  public  officers,  though  so  low 
as  not  to  afford  a  decent  maintenance  to  those  who  resided 
at  the  seat  of  government,  were  declared  to  be  so  enor- 
mously high  as  clearly  to  manifest  a  total  disregard  of  that 
simplicity  and  economy  which  were  the  characteristic  of 
republics.  The  levees  of  the  President,  and  the  evening 
parties  of  Mrs.  Washington,  were  said  to  be  imitations  of 
regal  institutions,  designed  to  accustom  the  American  peo- 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  -45 

pie  to  the  pomp  and  manners  of  European  courts.  The 
Vice-President,  too,  was  said  to  keep  up  the  state  and  dig- 
nity of  a  monarch,  and  to  illustrate,  by  his  conduct,  the 
principles  which  were  inculcated  in  his  political  works. 

The  Indian  War,  they  alleged,  was  misconducted,  and 
unnecessarily  prolonged  for  the  purpose  of  expending  the 
public  money,  and  of  affording  a  pretext  for  augmenting 
the  military  establishment,  and  increasing  the  revenue.  All 
this  prodigal  waste  of  the  money  of  the  people  was  de- 
signed to  keep  up  the  national  debt,  and  the  influence  it 
gave  the  government  which,  united  with  standing  armies, 
and  immense  revenues,  would  enable  their  rulers  to  rivet 
the  chains  which  they  were  secretly  forging.  Every  pre- 
diction, which  had  been  uttered  respecting  the  anti-repub- 
lican principles  of  the  government,  was  said  to  be  rapidly 
verifying,  and  that  which  was  disbelieved  as  prophecy,  was 
daily  becoming  history.  If  a  remedy  for  these  ills  was  not 
found  in  the  increased  representation  of  the  people  which 
would  take  place  at  the  ensuing  elections,  they  would  be- 
come too  monstrous  to  be  borne;  and  when  it  was  recol- 
lected that  the  division  of  opinion  was  marked  by  a  geo- 
graphical line,  there  was  reason  to  fear  that  the  Unior* 
would  be  broken  into  one  or  more  confederacies. 

The  irritable  symptoms  had  assumed  appearances  of  in- 
creased malignity  during  the  session  of  Congress  which 
had  just  terminated;  and,  to  the  President,  who  firmly 
believed  that  the  Union  and  the  liberty  of  the  States  de- 
pended on  the  preservation  of  the  government,  they  were 
the  more  unpleasant  and  the  more  alarming,  because  they 
were  displayed  in  full  force  in  his  cabinet. 

Between  the  secretaries  of  the  State  and  Treasury  de- 
partments a  disagreement  existed,  which  seems  to  have 
originated  in  an  early  stage  of  the  administration,  and  to 
have  acquired  a  regular  accession  of  strength  from  circum- 
stances which  were  perpetually  occurring,  until  it  grew 
into  open  and  irreconcilable  hostility.  Without  tracing 
this  disagreement  to  those  motives,  which,  in  elective  gov- 
ernments especially,  often  produce  enmities  between  dis- 


46  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

tinguished  personages,  neither  of  whom  acknowledges  the 
superiority  of  the  other,  such  radical  differences  of  opin- 
ion, on  points  which  would  essentially  influence  the  course 
of  the  government,  were  supposed  to  exist  between  the 
secretaries,  as,  in  a  great  measure,  to  account  for  this  un- 
extinguishable  enmity.  These  differences  of  opinion  were 
perhaps  to  be  ascribed  in  some  measure  to  a  difference  in 
the  original  structure  of  their  minds,  and,  in  some  meas- 
ure, to  the  differences  of  the  situations  in  which  they  had 
been  placed. 

Until  near  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Hamilton  had  served 
his  country  in  the  field;  and,  just  before  its  termination, 
had  passed  from  the  camp  into  Congress,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time  after  peace  had  been  established. 
In  the  former  station,  the  danger  to  which  the  independ- 
ence of  his  country  was  exposed  from  the  imbecility  of  its 
government  was  perpetually  before  his  eyes;  and,  in  the 
latter,  his  attention  was  forcibly  directed  toward  the  loss 
of  its  reputation,  and  the  sacrifice  of  its  best  interests, 
which  were  to  be  ascribed  to  the  same  cause.  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton, therefore,  was  the  friend  of  a  government  which 
should  possess,  in  itself,  sufficient  powers  and  resources  to 
maintain  the  character,  and  defend  the  integrity  of  the 
nation.  Having  long  felt  and  witnessed  the  mischiefs  pro- 
duced by  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  the  States,  and  by  the 
control  by  which  they  were  enabled  and  disposed  sep- 
arately to  exercise  over  every  measure  of  great  concern, 
he  was  particularly  apprehensive  of  danger  from  that  quar- 
ter; which  he,  probably,  believed  was  to  be  the  more 
dreaded,  because  the  habits  and  feelings  of  the  American 
people  were  calculated  to  inspire  State,  rather  than  na- 
tional prepossessions.  Under  the  influence  of  these  im- 
pressions, he  is  understood  to  have  avowed  opinions  in 
the  convention  favorable  to  a  system  in  which  the  execu- 
tive and  the  senate,  though  elective,  were  to  be  rather  more 
permanent  than  they  were  rendered  in  that  which  was  ac- 
tually proposed.  He  afterward  supported  the  Constitution, 
as  framed,  with  great  ability,  and  contributed  essentially 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  47 

to  its  adoption.  But  he  still  retained,  and  openly  avowed 
the  opinion,  that  the  greatest  hazards  to  which  it  was  ex- 
posed arose  from  its  weakness,  and  that  American  liberty 
and  happiness  had  much  more  to  fear  from  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  great  States  than  from  those  of  the  general 
government. 

Mr.  Jefferson  had  retired  from  Congress  before  the 
depreciation  of  the  currency  had  produced  an  entire  de- 
pendence of  the  general  on  the  local  governments;  after 
which  he  filled  the  highest  offices  in  the  State  of  which  he 
was  a  citizen.  About  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  reelected 
to  Congress;  but  was  soon  afterward  employed  on  a  mis- 
sion to  the  court  of  Versailles,  where  he  remained,  while 
the  people  of  France  were  taking  the  first  steps  of  that 
immense  revolution  which  astonished  and  agitated  two 
quarters  of  the  world.  In  common  with  all  his  country- 
men, he  felt  a  strong  interest  in  favor  of  the  reformers; 
and  it  is  not  unreasonable  to-  suppose  that,  while  residing 
at  that  court,  and  associating  with  those  who  meditated 
some  of  the  great  events  which  have  since  taken  place,  his 
mind  might  be  warned  with  the  abuses  of  the  monarchy 
which  were  perpetually  in  his  view,  and  he  might  be  led 
to  the  opinion  that  liberty  could  sustain  no  danger  but 
from  the  executive  power.  Mr.  Jefferson,  therefore,  seems 
to  have  entertained  no  apprehensions  from  the  debility  of 
the  government;  no  jealousy  of  the  State  sovereignties; 
and  no  suspicion  of  their  encroachments.  His  fears  took 
a  different  direction,  and  all  his  precautions  were  used  to 
check  and  limit  the  exercise  of  the  powers  vested  in  the 
government  of  the  United  States.  Neither  could  he  per- 
ceive danger  to  liberty  except  from  that  government,  and 
especially  from  the  executive  department.  He  did  not  feel 
so  sensibly,  as  those  who  had  continued  in  the  United 
States,  the  necessity  of  adopting  the  Constitution;  and 
had,  at  one  time,  avowed  a  wish  that  it  might  be  rejected 
by  such  a  number  of  States  as  would  secure  certain  altera- 
tions which  he  thought  essential.  His  principal  objections 
seem  to  have  been  the  want  of  a  bill  of  rights  and  the  re- 


48  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

eligibility  of  the  President.  From  this  opinion,  however, 
in  favor  of  a  partial  rejection,  he  is  understood  to  have 
receded,  after  seeing  the  plan  pursued  by  the  convention 
of  Massachusetts,  and  followed  by  other  States;  which  was 
to  adopt  unconditionally,  and  to  annex  a  recommendation 
of  the  amendments  which  were  desired. 


WASHINGTON. 


HEZEKIAH    BUTTERWORTH. 


[For  crowning  a  picture  or  bust  of  Washington  on  February  22,  with  evergreens] 

ARISE — 'tis  the  day  of  our  Washington's  glory, 
The  garlands  uplift  for  our  liberties  won, 
And  sing  in  your  gladness  his  echoing  story, 
Whose  sword  swept  for  freedom  the  fields  of  the  sun. 
Not  with  gold,  nor  with  gems, 
But  with  evergreens  vernal, 
And  the  banners  of  stars  that  the  continent  span, 
Crown,  crown  we  the  chief  of  the  heroes  eternal, 
Who  lifted  his  sword  for  the  birthright  of  man! 


'&' 


He  gave  us  a  nation,  to  make  it  immortal 

He  laid  down  for  Freedom  the  sword  that  he  drew, 

And  his  shade  leads  on  to  the  radiant  portal 

Of  the  glory  of  peace  and  the  destinies  new. 

Not  with  gold,  nor  with  gems, 

But  with  evergreens  vernal,. 
And  the  flags  that  the  nations  of  liberty  span, 
Crown,  crown  him  the  chief  of  the  heroes  eternal, 
Who  laid  down  his  sword  for  the  birthright  of  man! 

Lead,  Face  of  the  Future,  serene  in  thy  beauty, 
Till  o'er  the  dead  heroes  the  Peace-star  shall  gleam, 
Till  Right  shall  be  Might  in  the  counsels  of  duty 
And  the  service  of  man  be  life's  glory  supreme. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  49 

Not  with  gold,  nor'  with  gems, 

But  with  evergreens  vernal, 
And  the  flags  that  the  nations  in  brotherhood  span, 
Crown,  crown  we  the  chief  of  the  heroes  eternal, 
Whose  honor  was  gained  by  the  service  of  man! 

O  Spirit  of  Liberty!  sweet  are  thy  numbers! 
The  winds  to  thy  banners  their  tribute  shall  bring 
While  rolls  the  Potomac  where  Washington  slumbers 
And  his  natal  day  comes  with  the  angels  of  spring. 

We  follow  thy  counsels, 

O  hero  eternal, 
To  highest  achievements  the  school  leads  the  van, 
And,  crowning  thy  brow  with  the  evergreens  vernal, 
We  offer  our  all  to  the  service  of  man. 


WASHINGTON'S  COMMISSION  AS  COMMANDER* 
IN=CHIEF. 


[i775] 

IN   CONGRESS. 

THE  delegates  of  the  United  Colonies  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, Massachusetts  Bay,  Rhode  Island,  Connecti- 
cut, New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  New  Castle, 
Kent  and  Sussex  on  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  North 
Carolina  and  South  Carolina, 

To  George  Washington,  Esquire: — 

We,  reposing  especial  trust  and  confidence  in  your  pa- 
triotism, conduct  and  fidelity,  do  by  these  presents  con- 
stitute and  appoint  you  to  be  General  and  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  Army  of  the  United  Colonies  and  of  all  the 
forces  raised  or  to  be  raised  by  them  and  of  all  others 
who  shall  voluntarily  offer  their  service  and  join  the  said 


50  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

army  for  the  defence  of  American  Liberty  and  for  repell- 
ing every  hostile  invasion  thereof. 

And  you  are  hereby  vested  with  full  power  and  author- 
ity to  act  as  you  shall  think  for  the  good  and  welfare  of 
the  service. 

And  we  do  hereby  strictly  charge  and  require  all  officers 
and  soldiers  under  your  command  to  be  obedient  to  your 
orders  and  diligent  in  the  exercise  of  their  several  duties. 

And  we  do  also  enjoin  and  require  you  to  be  careful  in 
executing  the  great  trust  reposed  in  you,  by  causing  strict 
discipline  and  order  to  be  observed  in  the  army,  and  that 
the  soldiers  are  duly  exercised  and  provided  with  all  con- 
venient necessaries. 

And  you  are  to  regulate  your  conduct  in  every  respect 
by  the  rules  and  discipline  of  war  (as  herewith  given  you), 
and  punctually  to  observe  and  follow  such  orders  and  di- 
rections from  time  to  time  as  you  shall  receive  from  this 
or  a  future  Congress  of  the  said  United  Colonies  or  a  com- 
mittee of  Congress  for  that  purpose  appointed. 

This  Commission  to  continue  in  force  until  revoked  by 
this  or  a  future  Congress. 

By  order  of  the  Congress. 

John  Hancock,  President. 

Dated,  Philadelphia,  June  19,  1775. 

Attest,  Chas.  Thomson,  Sur. 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON. 


PHILLIS    WHEATLEY. 


[A  colored  poet.      Written  February  26,  1776.] 

CELESTIAL  choir!     Enthron'd  in  realms  of  light, 
Columbia's  scenes  of  glorious  toils  I  write. 
While  Freedom's  cause  her  anxious  breast  alarms 
She  flashes  dreadful  in  refulgent  arms. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  51 

See  Mother  Earth  her  offspring's  fate  bemoan, 
And  nations  gaze  at  scenes  before  unknown! 
See  the  bright  beams  of  heaven's  revolving  light 
Involved  in  sorrows  and  the  veil  of  night! 

The  goddess  comes,  she  moves  divinely  fair, 
Olive  and  laurel  binds  her  golden  hair: 
Wherever  shines  this  native  of  the  skies, 
Unnumber'd  charms  and  recent  graces  rise. 

Muse!  bow  propitious  while  my  pen  relates 
How  pour  her  armies  through  a  thousand  gates; 
As  when  Eolus  heaven's  fair  face  deforms, 
Enwrapp'd  in  tempest  and  a  night  of  storms; 
Astonish'd  ocean  feels  the  wild  uproar, 
The  refluent  surges  beat  the  sounding  shore; 
Or  thick  as  leaves  in  autumn's  golden  reign, 
Such,  and  so  many,  move  the  warrior's  train. 
In  bright  array  they  seek  the  work  of  war, 
Where  high  unfurl'd  the  ensign  waves  in  air. 
Shall  I  to  Washington  their  praise  recite? 
Enough  thou  knows't  them  in  the  field  of  fight, 
Thee  first  in  place  and  honors, — we  demand 
The  grace  and  glory  of  thy  martial  land. 
Fam'd  for  thy  valor,  for  thy  virtues  more. 
Hear  every  tongue  thy  guardian  aid  implore! 
One  century  scarce  performed  its  destin'd  round, 
When  Gallic  powers  Columbia's  fury  found; 
And  so  may  you,  whoever  dares  disgrace 
The  land  of  Freedom's  heaven-defended  race! 
Fix'd  are  the  eyes  of  nations  on  the  scales, 
For  in  their  hopes  Columbia's  arm  prevails. 
Anon  Britannia  droops  the  pensive  head, 
While  round  increase  the  rising  hills  of  dead. 
Ah!  cruel  blindness  to  Columbia's  state! 
Lament  thy  thirst  of  boundless  power  too  late. 
Proceed,  great  chief,  with  virtue  on  thy  side, 
Thy  ev'ry  action  let  the  goddess  guide. 
A  crown,  a  mansion,  and  a  throne  that  shine 
With  gold  unfading,  Washington!  be  thine. 


52  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


MY   HATCHET. 


ONCE  I  had  a  little  hatchet 
That  I  cut  from  maple  wood; 
I  decked  it  out  with  ribbon, 
Beautiful,  bright  and  good. 

And  I  put  it  on  a  bracket, 

And  I  said  that  it  should  stand 

To  remind  me  of  a  hatchet 
That  belonged  to  a  great  man. 

A  great  man  whom  we  call  "  Father," 

Who  would  never  tell  a  lie, 
And  who  made  a  great  commander 

When  we  fought  for  liberty. 

That  great  man,  we  all  should  know  him, 
For  his  name  was  Washington, 

And  he's  first  among  our  loved  ones 
In  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 

And  like  his,  shall  be  my  hatchet, 
Like  a  bright  and  gleaming  star; 

Leading  ever  onward,  upward, 
Where  only  truthful  spirits  are. 


BE  LIKE  GEORGE  WASHINGTON 


S.   JENNIE   SMITH. 


[Solo  and  chorus,  Air  :  "  My  Bonnie."] 

OF  maxims  my  mother  has  taught  me, 
Of  lessons  I  now  can  recall, 
Of  precepts  to  which  I  have  listened, 
This  one  I  have  heard  most  of  all: 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington,  never  lie; 

To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington,  try. 


53 


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I'11)  ii  i Hi  i|  i  i''Jii|TTOi 


So  longing  to  please  my  dear  parents, 
And  grow  up  a  great  and  good  man, 

One  who  could  ne'er  be  untruthful, 
I  hit  on  this  wonderful  plan: 


54  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington;  I  knew  how 

To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington  now. 

I  chopped  a  young  tree  in  the  orchard, 

And  then  to  my  father  did  cry, 
"  I  felled  it  with  my  little  hatchet; 
Dear  father,  I  can't    tell  a  lie." 
I'm  like,  I'm  like, 
I'm  like  George  Washington,  good  and  true, 

I'm  like,  I'm  like, 
I'm  like  the  boy  who  was  true. 

Instead  of  embracing  me  fondly, 

He  took  off  his  slipper  right  there, 
And  then  with  such  vigor  applied  it 
I  felt  that  I'd  never  more  care 
To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington,  brave  and  mild, 

To  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  that  wonderful  child. 

Dear  comrades,  this  teaches  us  clearly, 

The  faults  of  a  good  man  to  shun; 
His  virtues  we  ought  all  to  copy, 
The  victory  then  may  be  won. 
We'll  be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington,  yes,  we  will, 

Be  like,  be  like, 
Be  like  George  Washington  still. 


Eternity  alone  will  reveal  to  the  human  race  its  debts  of 
gratitude  to  the  peerless  and  immortal  name  of  Washing- 
ton.— President  Garfield. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  55 


I  WOULD  TELL. 


[Recitation  for  five  boys.] 

First  boy.  I  would  fell  of  Washington 

When  he  was  a  boy  like  me. 
He  learned  his  lessons  well  at  school, 
And  always  tried  to  keep  the  rule, 
And  if  at  work,  or  if  at  play, 
He  did  his  very  best  each  day; 
Was  gentle,  honest,  brave,  and  true, 
And  loved  by  all  his  comrades,  too, 

When  he  was  a  boy  like  me. 

Second  boy.         I  would  tell  of  Washington 
When  he  was  twenty-one — 
How  he  journeyed  through  the  wilderness, 
Ofttimes  in  peril  and  distress, 
Yet  never  did  his  stout  heart  quail, 
For  he  knew  no  such  word  as  fail; 
His  dauntless  courage,  even  then, 
Showed  him  a  leader  among  men, 
When  he  was  twenty-one. 

Third  boy.  I  would  tell  of  Washington 

In  camp  at  Valley  Forge. 
When  everything  seemed  dark  and  drear, 
And  hope  had  given  place  to  fear, 
He  stood  alone  unmoved  and  calm; 
His  very  presence  was  like  balm 
To  soothe  the  suffering,  rouse  the  faint, 
He  cheered  each  heart,  stilled  each  complaint, 

In  camp  at  Valley  Forge. 

Fourth  boy.         I  would  tell  of  Washington 
After  the  war  was  o'er. 
By  one  accord  made  President, 
As  toward  the  capital  he  went, 


56  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

The  streets  were  decked  with  banners  gay, 
And  flowers  were  scattered  in  his  way; 
Gathered  about  his  path,  the  throng 
Proclaimed  him  chief  with  shout  and  song, 
After  the  war  was  o'er. 

Fifth  boy.  I  would  tell  of  Washington 

When  came  life's  peaceful  close. 
Where  broad  Potomac's  waters  flowed, 
There  he  took  up  his  last  abode; 
Respected,  honored,  loved,  revered, 
By  countless  friends  his  days  were  cheered, 
And  when  at  length,  drew  near  the  end, 
The  nation  wept  to  lose  a  friend, 
So  came  life's  peaceful  close. 


WHO  KNOWS? 


ANNA    M.    PRATT. 

J  WONDER  if  George  Washington, 
1      When  he  was  nine  years  old, 
Turned  out  his  toes  and  brushed  his  hair 
And  always  shut  the  door  with  care 

And  did  as  he  was  told. 
I  wonder  if  he  never  said, 
"  Oh,  dear!  "  when  he  was  sent  to  bed. 


THIRTEEN  ORIGINAL  COLONIES  AND  GEORGE 
WASHINGTON. 


LUCIA    M.    MOONEY. 
[To  be  spoken  by  thirteen  children  representing  the  thirteen  originnl  colonies.] 

First  Child. — I  am  Virginia;  I  have  given  many  noble 
sons  to  my  country,  but  to-day  I  wish  to  speak  only  of  one, 
the  fairest,  the  most  illustrious — Washington. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  57 

Second  Child. — I  am  New  Jersey,  and  the  elms  at  Prince- 
ton still  whisper  of  his  fame. 

Third  Child. — I  am  Massachusetts,  and  his  name  is  still 
as  powerful  among  my  people  as  when  his  cannon  frowned 
upon  Boston  from  Dorchester  Heights. 

Fourth  Child. — I  am  New  York,  and  in  my  noblest  city 
the  first  President  took  his  oath  of  office. 

Fifth  Child. — I  am  New  Hampshire,  and  I  bring  granite 
from  my  mountains  that  his  deeds  may  be  written  on  im- 
perishable tablets. 

Sixth  Child. — I  am  Maryland,  and  my  Potomac's  stream 
murmurs  ever  of  love  as  it  glides  past  his  tomb. 

Seventh  Child. — I  am  Connecticut,  the  land  of  steady 
habits,  and  as  a  model  for  our  children  we  'hold  him  up 
whose  title  was  "  An  Honest  Man." 

Eighth  Child. — I  am  Rhode  Island,  and  the  name  of 
Roger  Williams  is  not  more  dear  to  me  than  the  memory 
of  Washington. 

Ninth  Child. — I  am  Delaware,  and  when  the  ice  cracks 
and  booms  on  my  noble  river  it  seems  to  thunder  the  story 
of  that  Christmas  night  so  long  ago. 

Tenth  Child. — I  am  North  Carolina,  and  the  shade  of 
Francis  Marion  bids  me  join  in  reverence  to  his  valiant 
leader. 

Eleventh  Child. — I  am  South  Carolina,  and  through  the 
storm  of  war  I  have  kept  his  memory  sacred. 

Twelfth  Child. — I  am  Pennsylvania,  and  the  old  State 
House  at  Philadelphia  seems  to  be  filled  with  his  invisible 
presence. 

Thirteenth  Child. — I  am  Georgia,  youngest  of  all,  and  I 
bring  palms  to  celebrate  his  victories. 

Virginia. — Let  us  speak  of  his  truthfulness. 

New  Jersey. — Let  us  admire  his  modesty. 

Massachusetts. — Let  us  praise  his  courage. 

New  York. — Let  us  remember  his  deeds. 

New  Hampshire. — Let  us  emulate  his  piety. 

Maryland. — Honor  the  statesman! 

Connecticut. — The  general ! 


58  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Rhode  Island. — The  truth-teller! 

Delaware. — The  hero! 

North  Carolina. — The  Cincinnatus  of  the  West! 

South  Carolina. — The  Father  of  his  Country! 

Pennsylvania. — Providence  left  him  childless  that  his 
country  might  call  him  father. 

Georgia. — Then  let  us  speak  of  him  still  as  "  First  in 
War  [all  joining  in],  First  in  Peace,  First  in  the  Hearts  of 
His  Countrymen." 


THE  TRUTHFUL  BOY. 


ONCE  there  was  a  little  boy 
With  curly  hair  and  pleasant  eye; 
A  boy  who  always  told  the  truth 
And  never,  never  told  a  lie. 

All  who  knew  him  loved  him  much, 
Because  he  always  told  the  truth; 

And  every  day  as  he  grew  up 

'Twas  said,  There  goes  an  honest  youth. 


WASHINGTON. 


W  is  for  Warren,  a  soldier  brave  and  bold. 

A  is  for  General  Arnold,  a  traitor,  I  am  told. 

S  is  for  Schuyler,  ever  foremost  in  the  fight. 

H  is  for  Hancock,  who  stood  firm  for  the  right. 

I  is  for  independence,  for  which  our  soldiers  fought. 

N  is  for  New  York,  for  which  both  armies  sought. 

G  is  for  Greene,  a  soldier  of  renown. 

T  is  for  Trenton,  an  old  historic  town. 

0  is  for  "  Old  Putnam,"  Washington's  great  friend. 

N  is  for  the  Nation  they  both  fought  to  defend. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  59 


LIKE   WASHINGTON. 


CLARA   J.    DENTON. 

[For  a  boy] 

WE'RE  gathered  here  with  one  accord, 
The  day  to  celebrate 
That  gave  the  world  a  Washington, 
So  wise,  so  good,  and  great. 

I  love  the  name  of  Washington, 

And  when  of  him  I  read, 
Oh,  how  I  long  to  imitate 

Each  noble  thought  and  deed! 

But  to  this  audience  I'm  quite  sure 

It  must  be  very  plain 
That  all  my  wishes  to  be  wise 

As  he,  will  be  in  vain. 

And  as  for  greatness,  this,  my  friends, 

I  fear  is  sadly  clear, 
To  it  there  is  one  obstacle, 

And  that,  alas!  is  here. 

[Points  to  his  forehead.] 

But  though  as  wise,  nor  yet  as  great 

I  may  not  hope  to  be, 
Perhaps  I  may,  by  trying  hard, 

Become  as  good  as  he. 

Yes,  boys,  we  must  successful  be 

If  working  on  this  plan, 
For  each  of  us,  I'm  sure,  can  make 

A  true  and  honest  man. 


60  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

WASHINGTON'S   FAREWELL  TO  HIS   WIFE. 


[Letter  to  Mrs.  Martha  Washington  from  General  Washington  on  his  appointment  as 
Commander-in-chief.] 

Phila.,  18  June,  1775. 

MY  Dearest:  I  am  now  set  down  to  write  to  you  on  a 
subject  which  fills  me  with  inexpressible  concern, 
and  this  concern  is  greatly  aggravated  and  increased  when 
I  reflect  upon  the  uneasiness  I  know  it  will  give  you.  It  has 
been  determined  in  Congress,  that  the  whole  army  raised 
for  the  defense  of  the  American  cause  shall  be  put  under 
my  care,  and  that  it  is  necessary  for  me  to  proceed  immedi- 
ately to  Boston  to  take  upon  me  the  command  of  it.  You 
may  believe  me,  my  dear  Patsy,  when  I  assure  you  in  the 
most  solemn  manner  that,  so  far  from  seeking  this  appoint- 
ment, I  have  used  every  endeavor  in  my  power  to  avoid  it, 
not  only  from  my  unwillingness  to  part  from  you  and  the 
family,  but  from  a  consciousness  of  its  being  a  trust  too 
great  for  my  capacity,  and  that  I  should  enjoy  more  real 
happiness  in  one  month  with  you  at  home  than  I  have  the 
most  distant  prospect  of  finding  abroad,  if  my  stay  were 
to  be  seven  times  seven  years.  But  as  it  has  been  a  kind  of 
destiny  that  has  thrown  me  upon  this  service,  I  shall  hope 
that  my  undertaking  it  is  designed  to  answer  some  good 
purpose.  You  might  and  I  suppose  did  perceive  from  the 
tenor  of  my  letters  that  I  was  apprehensive  I  could  not 
avoid  this  appointment,  as  I  did  not  pretend  to  intimate 
when  I  should  return.  That  was  the  case.  It  was  utterly 
out  of  my  power  to  refuse  this  appointment  without  ex- 
posing my  character  to  such  censures  as  would  have  re- 
flected dishonor  upon  myself,  and  given  pain  to  my  friends. 
This,  I  am  sure,  could  not,  and  ought  not,  to  be  pleasing 
to  you,  and  must  have  lessened  me  considerably  in  my 
own  esteem.  I  shall  rely,  therefore,  confidently,  on  that 
Providence,  which  has  heretofore  preserved  and  been 
bountiful  to  me,  not  doubting  but  that  I  shall  return  safe 
to  you  in  the  fall.  I  shall  feel  no  pain  from  the  toil  or  the 
danger  of  the  campaign;  my  unhappiness  will  flow  from, 
the  uneasiness  I  know  you  will  feel  from  being  left  alone,. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  61 

I  therefore  beg  that  you  will  summon  your  whole  forti- 
tude, and  pass  your  time  as  agreeably  as  possible.  Noth- 
ing will  give  me  so  much  sincere  satisfaction  as  to  hear 
this,  and  to  hear  it  from  your  own  pen.  My  earnest  and 
ardent  desire  is,  that  you  would  pursue  any  plan  that  is 
most  likely  to  produce  content  and  a  tolerable  degree  of 
tranquility,  as  it  must  add  greatly  to  my  uneasy  feelings 
to  hear  that  you  are  dissatisfied  or  complaining  at  what 
I  really  could  not  avoid. 

As  life  is  always  uncertain  and  common  prudence  dic- 
tates to  every  man  the  necessity  of  settling  his  temporal 
concerns,  while  it  is  in  his  power,  and  while  the  mind  is 
calm  and  undisturbed,  I  have,  since  I  came  to  this  place 
(for  I  had  not  time  to  do  it  before  I  left  home),  got  Colonel 
Pendleton  to  draft  a  will  for  me,  by  the  directions  I  gave 
him,  which  will  I  now  enclose.  The  provision  made  for 
you  in  case  of  my  death  will,  I  hope,  be  agreeable. 

I  shall  add  nothing  more,  as  I  have  several  letters  to 
write,  but  to  desire  that  you  will  remember  me  to  your 
friends,  and  to  assure  you  that  I  am,  with  the  most  un- 
feigned regard,  my  dear  Patsy, 

Your  affectionate,  etc., 

Washington. 


§ixsi  in  peace, 

first  in  war, 
anb  first  in  tf?e  fyectrts 
of  fyts  countrymen. 


For  use  on  blackboard 


62  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


THE  LITTLE  HATCHET ;  OR  THE  CENTENNIAL  BOY. 


ROBERT    J.    BURDETTE. 

IT  became  our  fortune,  recently,  to  entertain  a  five-year- 
old  cherub,  Clarence  Alencon  de  Caruthers  by  name, 
and  we  told  him  the  well-known  story  of  the  Father  of  his 
Country. 

"  Well,  one  day,  George's  father —  " 

"  George  who?"  asked  Clarence. 

"  George  Washington.  He  was  a  little  boy,  then,  just 
like  you.     One  day  his  father —  " 

"  Whose  father?  "  demanded  Clarence,  with  an  encour- 
aging expression  of  interest. 

"  George  Washington's;  this  great  man  we  are  telling 
you  of.  One  day  George  Washington's  father  gave  him  a 
little  hatchet  for  a —  " 

"  Gave  who  a  little  hatchet?  "  the  dear  child  interrupted, 
with  a  gleam  of  bewitching  intelligence.  Most  men  would 
have  got  mad,  or  betrayed  signs  of  impatience,  but  we 
didn't.  We  know  how  to  talk  to  children.  So  we  went 
on : 

"  George  Washington.    His —  " 

"  Who  gave  him  the  little  hatchet?  " 

"  His  father.    And  his  father —  " 

"  Whose  father?  " 

"  George  Washington's." 

"Oh!" 

"  Yes,  George  Washington.    And  his  father  told  him —  " 

"Told  who?" 

"  Told  George." 

"  Oh  yes,  George." 

And  we  went  on,  just  as  patient  and  as  pleasant  as  you 
could  imagine.  We  took  up  the  story  right  where  the  boy 
interrupted,  for  we  could  see  he  was  iust  crazy  to  hear  the 
end  of  it.    We  said: 


WASHINGTON  DA  Y  BOOK.  63 

"  And  he  was  told —  " 

"  George  told  him?  "  queried  Clarence. 

"  No,  his  father  told  George —  " 

"  Oh!  " 

"ies;   told  him  he  must  be  careful  with  the  hatchet —  " 

"  Who  must  be  careful?  " 

"  George  must." 

"Oh!" 

"  Yes;   must  be  careful  with  his  hatchet — " 

"What  hatchet?" 

"  Why,  George's." 

"Oh!" 

"  With  the  hatchet,  and  not  cut  himself  with  it,  or  drop 
it  in  the  cistern,  or  leave  it  out  in  the  grass  all  night.  So 
George  went  round  cutting  everything  he  could  reach  with 
his  hatchet.  And  at  last  he  came  to  a  splendid  apple-tree, 
his  father's  favorite,  and  cut  it  down  and —  " 

"  Who  cut  it  down?  " 

"  George  did." 

"Oh!" 

"  But  his  father  came  home  and  saw  it  the  first  thing, 
and—  " 

"  Saw  the  hatchet?  " 

"  No,  saw  the  apple-tree.  And  he  said,  •  Who  has  cut 
down  my  favorite  apple-tree? '  " 

"What  apple-tree?" 

"  George's  father's.  And  everybody  said  they  didn't 
know  anything  about  it,  and —  " 

"  Anything  about  what?  " 

"  The  apple-tree." 

"Oh!" 

"  And  George  came  up  and  heard  them  talking  about 
it—" 

"  Heard  who  talking  about  it?  " 

"  Heard  his  father  and  the  men." 

"  What  were  they  talking  about?  " 

"  About  this  apple-tree." 

"What  apple-tree?" 


64  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

"  The  favorite  tree  that  George  cut  down." 

"  George  who?  " 

"  George  Washington." 

"Oh!" 

"  So  George  came  up  and  heard  them  talking  about  it, 
and  he —  " 

"  What  did  he  cut  it  down  for?  " 

"  Just  to  try  his  little  hatchet." 

"  Whose  little  hatchet?  " 

"  Why,  his  own,  the  one  his  father  gave  him." 

"  Gave  who?  " 

"  Why,  George  Washington." 

"Oh!" 

"  So  George  came  up  and  he  said,  '  Father,  I  cannot  tell 
a  lie,  I— '  " 

"Who  couldn't  tell  a  lie?  " 

"  Why,  George  Washington.  He  said,  '  Father,  I  can- 
not tell  a  lie.    It  was —  '  " 

"  His  father  couldn't?  " 

"Why,  no;    George  couldn't." 

"Oh!  George?  oh,  yes!" 

"  '  It  was  I  cut  down  your  apple-tree;   I  did — ' : 
.     "His  father  did?" 

"  No,  no;   it  was  George  said  this." 

"  Said  he  cut  his  father?  " 

"  No,  no,  no;   said  he  cut  down  his  apple-tree." 

"  George's  apple-tree?  " 

"  No,  no;  his  father's." 

"Oh!" 

"  He  said—  " 

"  His  father  said?  " 

"  No,  no,  no;  George  said.  '  Father,  I  cannot  tell  a  lie, 
I  did  it  with  my  little  hatchet.'  And  his  father  said:  '  Noble 
boy,  I  would  rather  lose  a  thousand  trees  than  have  you 
tell  a  lie.'  " 

"  George  did?  " 

"  No,  his  father  said  that." 

"  Said  he'd  rather  have  a  thousand  apple-trees?  " 


WASHING  TON  DA  Y  BOOK.  65 

"No,  no,  no;    said  he'd  rather  lose  a  thousand  apple- 
trees  than —  " 

"  Said  he'd  rather  George  would?  " 
"  No,  said  he'd  rather  he  would  than  have  him  lie." 
"  Oh!  George  would  rather  have  his  father  lie?" 
We  are  patient  and  we  love  children,  but  if  Mrs.  Caruth- 
ers  hadn't  come  and  got  her  prodigy  at  that  critical  junc- 
ture, we  don't  believe  all  Burlington  could  have  pulled  us 
out  of  the  snarl.     And  as  Clarence  Alencpn  de  Marche- 
mont  Caruthers  pattered  up  the  stairs  we  heard  him  telling 
his  ma  about  a  boy  who  had  a  father  named  George,  and 
he  told  him  to  cut  down  an  apple-tree,  and  he  said  he'd 
rather  tell  a  thousand  lies  than  cut  down  one  apple-tree. 


A    LITTLE  HATCHET. 


WHEN  I  hear  of  Washington, 
Brave  and  true  and  noble  one,- 
I'd  be  like  him  if  I  can, 
While  a  boy  and  when  a  man. 
But  of  all  the  ways  I  see 
In  which  like  him  I  would  be, — 
One, — I  long  the  most  to  catch  it, — 
Is,  he  had  a  little  hatchet! 


WASHINGTON'S  DAY. 


MARY    K.    D.    DINGWALL. 

OH,  how  the  world  remembers! 
It  is  many  and  many  a  day 
Since  the  patriot  George  Washington 
Grew  old  and  passed 'away. 

And  yet  to-day  we  are  keeping 

In  memory  of  his  birth, 
And  his  deeds  of  truth  and  valor 

Are  told  by  every  hearth. 


66  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

How  he  fought  for  Independence, 
All  little  schoolboys  know; 

And  why  we  signed  the  Declaration 
A  hundred  years  ago. 

To  be  as  great  as  Washington, 
I  could  not  if  I  would, 

But  I've  made  up  my  mind  that  I 
Will  try  to  be  as  good. 


A  REPUBLICAN  "  NO." 


[Letter  to  Colonel  Lewis  Nicola,  Newburgh,  May  22,  1783,  in  answer  to  a  suggestion  of 
an  American  monarchy  of  which  Washington  should  be  the  head.] 


GEORGE    WASHINGTON. 

SIR :  With  a  mixture  of  great  surprise  and  astonishment, 
I  have  read  with  attention  the  sentiments  you  have 
submitted  to  my  perusal.  Be  assured,  Sir,  no  occurrence 
in  the  course  of  the  war  has  given  me  more  painful  sensa- 
tions than  your  information  of  there  being  such  ideas  ex- 
isting in  the  army,  as  you  have  expressed,  and  which  I 
must  view  with  abhorrence  and  reprehend  with  severity. 
For  the  present  the  communication  of  them  will  rest  in  my 
own  bosom,  unless  some  further  agitation  of  the  matter 
shall  make  a  disclosure  necessary. 

I  am  much  at  a  loss  to  conceive  what  part  of  my  conduct 
could  have  given  encouragement  to  an  address  which  seems 
to  me  big  with  the  greatest  mischiefs  that  can  befall  my 
country.  If  I  am  not  deceived  in  the  knowledge  of  my- 
self, you  could  not  have  found  a  person  to  whom  your 
schemes  are  more  disagreeable.  At  the  same  time  in  jus- 
tice to  my  own  feelings,  I  must  add  that  no  man  possesses 
a  more  sincere  wish  to  see  ample  justice  done  to  the  army 
than  I  do;  and  as  far  as  my  powers  and  influence,  in  a 
constitutional  way,  extend,  they  shall  be  employed  to  the 
utmost  of  my  abilities  to  effect  it,  should  there  be  any  occa- 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  6? 

sion.  Let  me  conjure  you,  then,  if  you  have  regard  for 
your  country,  concern  for  yourself  or  posterity,  or  respect 
for  me,  to  banish  these  thoughts  from  your  mind,  and 
never  communicate,  as  from  yourself  or  anyone  else,  a 
sentiment  of  like  nature. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  most  obedient  servant. 


SOMETHING   BETTER. 


CLARA   J.    DENTON. 


[For  a  very  little  girl.] 

T  CANNOT  be  a  Washington, 
1       However  hard  I  try, 
But  into  something  I  must  grow 
As  fast  the  days  go  by. 

The  world  needs  women,  good  and  true, 

I'm  glad  I  can  be  one, 
For  that  is  even  better  than 

To  be  a  Washington. 


BATTLE  OF  TRENTON. 


[December  25,  1776.] 

ON  Christmas  day  in  seventy-six, 
Our  ragged  troops,  with  bayonets  fixed, 
For  Trenton  marched  away. 
The  Delaware,  see!  the  boats  below! 
The  light  obscured  by  hail  and  snow! 
But  no  signs  of  dismay. 

Our  object  was  the  Hessian  band 
That  dared  invade  fair  Freedom's  land, 

And  quarter  in  the  place. 
Great  Washington  he  led  us  on, 
Whose  streaming  flag,  in  storm  or  sun, 

Had  never  known  disgrace. 


68  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

In  silent  march  we  passed  the  night, 
Each  soldier  panting  for  the  fight, 

Though  quite  benumbed  with  frost. 
Greene  on  the  left  at  six  began, 
The  right  was  led  by  Sullivan, 

Who  ne'er  a  moment  lost. 

Their  pickets  stormed,  the  alarm  was  spread, 
That  rebels  risen  from  the  dead 

Were  marching  into  town. 
Some  scampered  here,  some  scampered  there, 
And  some  for  action  did  prepare; 

But  soon  their  arms  laid  down. 

Twelve  hundred  servile  miscreants, 
With  all  their  colors,  guns,  and  tents, 

Were  trophies  of  the  day. 
The  frolic  o'er,  the  bright  canteen, 
In  centre,  front,  and  rear  was  seen 

Driving  fatigue  away. 

Now,  brothers  of  the  patriot  bands, 
Let's  sing  deliverance  from  the  hands 

Of  arbitrary  sway. 
And  as  our  life  is  but  a  span, 
Let's  touch  the  tankard  while  we  can, 

In  memory  of  that  day. 


WASHINGTON   AT   PRAYER. 


MASON    L.    WEEMS. 

IN  the  winter  of  'jj,  while  Washington  with  the  Ameri- 
can army  lay  encamped  at  Valley  Forge,  a  certain 
good  old  Friend,  of  the  respectable  family  and  name  of 
Potts,  if  I  mistake  not,  had  occasion  to  pass  through  the 
woods  near  headquarters.  Treading  his  way  along  the 
venerable  grove  he  suddenly  heard  the  sound  of  a  human 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  69 

voice,  which  as  he  advanced  increased  in  his  ear,  and  at 
length  became  like  the  voice  of  one  speaking  much  in 
earnest.  As  he  approached  the  spot  with  a  cautious  step, 
whom  should  he  behold  in  a  dark  natural  bower  of  ancient 
oaks,  but  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  American  armies 
on  his  knees  at  prayer!  Motionless  with  surprise,  Friend 
Potts  waited  in  the  place  till  the  General,  having  ended 
his  devotions,  arose,  and  with  a  countenance  of  angel 
serenity,  retired  to  headquarters.  Friend  Potts  then  went 
home,  and  on  entering  his  parlor  called  out  to  his  wife, 
"  Sarah!  my  dear!  Sarah!  All's  well!  all's  well!  George 
Washington  will  yet  prevail!  " 

"What's  the  matter,  Isaac?"  replied  she;  "thee  seems 
moved." 

"  Well,  if  I  seem  moved,  'tis  no  more  than  what  I  am;  I 
have  this  day  seen  what  I  never  expected.  Thee  knows 
that  I  always  thought  the  sword  and  the  gospel  utterly 
inconsistent,  and  that  no  man  could  be  a  soldier  and  a 
Christian  at  the  same  time.  But  George  Washington  has 
this  day  convinced  me  of  my  mistake." 

He  then  related  what  he  had  seen,  and  concluded  with 
the  prophetical  remark,  "  If  George  Washington  be  not  a 
man  of  God,  I  am  greatly  deceived,  and  still  more  shall  I 
be  deceived  if  God  doth  not,  through  him,  work  out  a 
great  salvation  for  America." 


Washington  seemed  to  come  to  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  his  high  office  with  a  great  sense  of  his  unfamil- 
iarity  with  these  new  calls  upon  him,  modestly  doubtful 
of  his  own  ability,  but  trusting  implicitly  in  the  sustain- 
ing helpfulness  and  grace  of  that  God  who  rules  the  world, 
presides  in  the  councils  of  nations,  and  is  able  to  supply 
every  human  defect.  We  have  made  marvelous  progress 
in  material  things,  but  the  stately  and  enduring  shaft  that 
we  have  erected  at  the  national  capital  at  Washington,  sym- 
bolizes the  fact  that  he  is  still  the  First  American  Citizen, 
— Benjamin  Harrison. 


70  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


THE  VOW  OF  WASHINGTON. 


JOHN    G.    WHITTIER. 


[Read  in  New  York,  April  30,  1889,  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Inauguration  of 
George  Washington,  as  the  first  President  of  the  United  States.] 

THE  sword  was  sheathed:     In  April's  sun 
Lay  green  the  fields  by  Freedom  won; 
And  severed  sections,  weary  of  debates, 
Joined  hands  at  last  and  were  United  States. 

O  city  sitting  by  the  sea! 

How  proud  the  day  that  dawned  on  thee, 
When  the  new  era,  long  desired,  began, 
And,  in  its  need,  the  hour  had  found  the  man! 

One  thought  the  cannon  salvos  spoke; 

The  resonant  bell-tower's  vibrant  stroke, 
The  voiceful  streets,  the  plaudit-echoing  halls, 
And  prayer  and  hymn  borne  heavenward  from  St.  Paul's! 

How  felt  the  land  in  every  part 

The  strong  throb  of  a  nation's  heart, 
As  its  great  leader  gave,  with  reverent  awe, 
His  pledge  to  Union,  Liberty,  and  Law! 

That  pledge  the  heavens  above  him  heard, 

That  vow  the  sleep  of  centuries  stirred; 
In  world-wide  wonder  listening  peoples  bent 
Their  gaze  on  Freedom's  great  experiment. 

Could  it  succeed?    Of  honor  sold 

And  hopes  deceived  all  history  told. 
Above  the  wrecks  that  strewed  the  mournful  past, 
Was  the  long  dream  of  ages  true  at  last? 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  71 

Thank  God!  the  people's  choice  was  just, 

The  one  man  equal  to  his  trust, 
Wise  beyond  lore,  and  without  weakness  good, 
Calm  in  the  strength  of  lawless  rectitude! 

His  rule  of  justice,  order,  peace, 

Made  possible  the  world's  release; 
Taught  prince  and  serf  that  power  is  but  a  trust, 
And  rule  alone,  which  serves  the  ruled,  is  just; 

That  Freedom  generous  is,  but  strong 

In  hate  of  fraud  and  selfish  wrong, 
Pretense  that  turns  her  holy  truths  to  lies, 
And  lawless  license  masking  in  her  guise. 

Land  of  his  love!  with  one  glad  voice 

Let  thy  great  sisterhood  rejoice; 
A  century's  suns  o'er  thee  have  risen  and  set, 
And,  God  be  praised,  we  are  one  nation  yet. 

And  still,  we  trust,  the  years  to  be 

Shall  prove  his  hope  was  destiny, 
Leaving  our  flag  with  all  its  added  stars 
Unrent  by  faction,  and  unstained  by  wars! 

Lo!  lo!  where  with  patient  toil  he  nursed 
And  trained  the  new-set  plant  at  first, 

The  widening  branches  of  a  stately  tree 

Stretch  from  the  sunrise  to  the  sunset  sea. 

And  in  its  broad  and  sheltering  shade, 

Sitting  with  none  to  make  afraid. 
Were  we  now  silent,  through  each  mighty  limb, 
The  winds  of  heaven  would  sing  the  praise  of  him. 

Our  first  and  best! — >his  ashes  lie 

Beneath  his  own  Virginian  sky. 
Forgive,  forget,  oh!  true  and  just  and  brave, 
The  storm  that  swept  above  thy  sacred  grave! 


72  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

For,  ever  in  that  awful  strife 
And  dark  hours  of  the  nation's  life, 
Through  the  fierce  tumult  pierced  his  warning  word 
Their  father's  voice  his  erring  children  heard! 

The  change  for  which  he  prayed  and  sought 

In  that  sharp  agony  was  wrought; 
No  partial  interest  draws  its  alien  line 
'Twixt  North  and  South,  the  cypress  and  the  pine! 

One  people  now,  all  doubt  beyond, 
His  name  shall  be  our  Union-bond; 
We  lift  our  hands  to  heaven,  and  here  and  now, 
Take  on  our  lips  the  old  Centennial  vow. 

For  rule  and  trust  must  needs  be  ours; 

Chooser  and  chosen  both  are  powers 
Equal  in  service  as  in  rights;    the  claim 
Of  duty  rests  on  each  and  all  the  same. 

Then  let  the  sovereign  millions,  where 

Our  banner  floats  in  sun  and  air. 
From  the  warm  palm-lands  to  Alaska's  cold, 
Repeat  with  us  the  pledge  a  century  old! 


ELEMENTS  IN  WASHINGTON'S  GREATNESS. 


R.    J.    WHITE. 


First  pupil. — A  noble  character  is  a  combination  of  ele- 
ments. It  was  not  his  distinctive  qualities  alone,  but  the 
combination  of  them,  that  made  Washington. 

Second  pupil. — He  had  the  physical  basis  for  heroism. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  73 

In  youth  he  was  the  favorite  on  the  playground,  always 
the  winner  in  race  or  wrestle.  On  foot  he  crossed  the 
Alleghanies  through  the  winter  forest. 

Third  pupil. — He  had  a  genius  for  hard  work.  Retiring 
and  rising  early,  he  was  very  painstaking.  His  surveying- 
books  show  nice  and  painstaking  work.  He  made  care- 
ful preparation,  looking  after  all  details.  His  farm-book 
shows  careful  plans  for  crops  and  rotation. 

Fourth  pupil. — He  had  high  courage.  He  planned  to 
avoid  danger  and  to  maintain  peace;  but  in  his  work  he 
exposed  himself  freely,  almost  recklessly.  His  nerves  were 
steel  at  Great  Meadows,  Fort  Duquesne,  Boston,  Trenton, 
Valley  Forge,  Monmouth,  and  Yorktown. 

Fifth  pupil. — Practical  common  sense,  looking  wisely 
ahead,  knowledge  of  men,  and  appreciation  of  the  needs 
of  the  hour  gave  him  practical  hold  upon  circumstances 
and  men: 

Sixth  pupil. — Unselfishness  won  and  held  the  love  and 
gratitude  of  the  nation. 


THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  PRESIDENCY. 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON. 


[From  a  letter  to  Henry  Lee,  Mount  Vernon,  September  22,  1788.] 

YOU  are  among  the  small  number  of  those  who  know 
my  invincible  attachment  to  domestic  life,  and  that  my 
sincerest  wish  is  to  continue  in  enjoyment  of  it  solely  until 
my  final  hour.  But  the  world  would  be  neither  so  well 
instructed  nor  so  candidly  disposed  as  to  believe  me  in- 
fluenced by  sinister  motives,  in  case  any  circumstance 
should  render  a  deviation  from  the  line  of  conduct  I  had 
prescribed  to  myself  indispensable. 

Should  the  contingency  you  suggest  take  place   (for 


74  WASHINGTON    DAY  BOOK. 

argument's  sake  alone  let  me  say  it),  should  my  unfeigned 
reluctance  to  accept  the  office  be  overcome  by  a  deference 
for  the  reasons  and  opinions  of  my  friends,  might  I  not, 
after  the  declarations  I  have  made  (and  Heaven  knows 
that  they  were  made  in  the  sincerity  of  my  heart),  in  the 
judgment  of  the  impartial  world  and  of  posterity,  be 
chargeable  with  levity,  and  inconsistency,  if  not  with  rash- 
ness and  ambition?  Nay  farther,  would  there  not  be  some 
apparent  foundation  for  the  two  former  charges?  Now 
justice  to  myself  and  tranquillity  of  conscience  require 
that  I  should  act  a  part,  if  not  above  imputation,  at  least 
capable  of  vindication.  Nor  will  you  conceive  me  too 
solicitous  for  reputation.  Though  I  prize,  as  I  ought,  the 
good  opinion  of  my  fellow-citizens,  yet,  if  I  know  myself, 
I  would  not  seek  or  retain  popularity  at  the  expense  of  one 
social  duty  or  moral  virtue.  While  doing  what  my  con- 
science informed  me  was  right,  as  it  respected  my  God, 
my  country  and  myself,  I  could  despise  all  the  party  clamor 
and  unjust  censure  which  might  be  expected  from  some, 
whose  personal  enmity  might  be  occasioned  by  their  hos- 
tility to  the  .government.  I  am  conscious  that  I  fear  alone 
to  give  any  real  occasion  for  obloquy  and  that  I  do  not 
dread  to  meet  with  unmerited  reproach.  And  certain  I 
am,  whensoever  I  shall  be  convinced  the  good  of  my  coun- 
try requires  my  reputation  to  be  put  in  risk,  regard  for  my 
own  fame  will  not  come  in  competition  with  an  object  of 
so  much  magnitude.  If  I  declined  the  task,  it  would  lie 
on  quite  another  principle.  Notwithstanding,  my  ad- 
vanced season  of  life,  my  growing  love  of  retirement,  aug- 
ment and  confirm  my  decided  predilection  for  the  charac- 
ter of  a  private  citizen.  Yet  it  would  be  no  one  of  these 
motives,  nor  the  hazard  to  which  my  former  reputation 
might  be  exposed  nor  the  terror  of  encountering  new 
fatigues  and  troubles,  that  would  deter  me  from  an  ac- 
ceptance, but  a  belief  that  some  other  person,  who  had 
less  pretence  and  less  inclination  to  be  excused,  could  exe- 
cute all  the  duties  full  as  satisfactorily  as  myself. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOCK. 


ODE  TO  WASHINGTON. 


[Desirous  of  perpetuating  the  memory  of  Washington,  I  wrote  this  music  from  memory, 
of  an  ode  sung  October,  1789,  on  the  occasion  of  President  Washington's  arrival  at  the 
Old  State  House,  Boston.  Having  learned  it  from  my  father  in  1805  when  ten  years  of 
age,  he  being  one  of  the  chorus  singers.— Benjamin  B.  Davis.] 


1.  Great  Wash- ing-  ton    the      he-ro's    come,  Eaeh  heart  *ei  -  nit  -  ing  bears  the  sound, 
a.  Then  view   Co-    lnm-bla's  -favorite      son,     Her    father       saviour  D-icnd  and  gnide; 


Thou -.sands    to      their    de.-  llyer-er  throng  And  shout  him     -wet- come  all    a  -   round, 
There     see  the  im-  mor-fal  Wash- Ing- ton!   His  -  conn  r  try's    glo-  ry,  boast  and   pride! 


Row    la    fall     cho-rns     join  the      song,  And  shout   a -load  great  Washing- ton  1 


When  the  impending  storm  of  war, 
Thick  clouds  and  darkness  hid  our  way, 
Great  Washington,  our  polar  star, 
Arose;  and  all  was  light  as  day. 

CHORUS. 


76  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

4- 

'Twas  on  yon  plains  thy  valor  rose, 
And  ran  like  fire  from  man  to  man; 
'Twas  here  thou  humbled  Paria's  foes, 
And  chased  whole  legions  to  the  main. 

CHORUS. 

5- 

Through  countless  dangers,  toil,  and  cares 
Our  hero  led  us  safely  on — 
With  matchless  skill  direct  the  wars 
Till  Victory  cries — The  day's  his  own! 

CHORUS. 


His  country  saved,  the  contest  o'er, 
Sweet  peace  restored,  his  toil  to  crown, 
The  warrior  to  his  native  shore 
Returns,  and  tills  his  fertile  ground. 

CHORUS. 

7- 

But  soon  Columbia  called  him  forth 
Again  to  save  her  sinking  fame; 
So  to  the  helm,  and  by  his  worth, 
To  make  her  an  immortal  name. 

CHORUS. 

8. 

Not  yet  alone  through  Paria's  shores 
Has  fame  her  mighty  trumpet  blown; 
E'en  Europe,  Afric,  Asia  hears, 
And  emulate  the  deeds  he's  done. 

CHORUS. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  77 


EPITAPH   ON  WASHINGTON. 


[Epitah  discovered  on  the  back  of  a  portrait  of  Washington,  sent  to  the  family  from 

England.] 

THE  defender  of  his  country, — the  founder  of  liberty, 
The  friend  of  man, 
History  and  tradition  are  explored  in  vain 
For  a  parallel  to  his  character. 
In  the  annals  of  modern  greatness 

He  stands  alone; 

And  the  noblest  names  of  antiquity 

Lose  their  lustre  in  his  presence. 

Born  the  benefactor  of  mankind, 

He  united  all  the  greatness  necessary 

To  an  illustrious  career. 

Nature  made  him  great, 

He  made  himself  virtuous. 

Called  by  his  Country  to  the  defense  of  her  Liberties, 

He   triumphantly   vindicated    the   rights    of   humanity, 

And,  on  the  pillars  of  National  Independence, 

Laid  the  foundation  of  a  great  Republic. 

Twice  invested  with  Supreme  Magistracy 

By  the  unanimous  vote  of  a  free  people, 

He  surpassed,  in  the  Cabinet, 

The  glories  of  the  field, 

And,  voluntarily  resigning  the  scepter  and  the  sword, 

Retired  to  the  shades  of  private  life; 

A  spectacle  so  new,  and  so  sublime, 

Was  contemplated  with  profoundest  admiration, 

And  the  name  of  Washington, 

Adding  new  lustre  to  humanity, 

Resounded  to  the  remotest  regions  of  the  earth. 

Magnanimous  in  youth, 

Glorious  through  life, 

Great  in  death; 


78  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

His  highest  ambition,  the  happiness  of  mankind; 
His  noblest  victory,  the  conquest  of  himself, 
Bequeathing  to  posterity  the  inheritance  of  his  fame. 
And  building  his  monument  in  the  hearts  of  his  Coun- 
trymen,— 
He  lived — the  ornament  of  the  Eighteenth  Century; 
He  died,  regretted  by  a  mourning  world. 


WASHINGTON  AND   FRANKLIN. 


WALTER   SAVAGE   LANDOR. 

[An  imaginary  conversation.] 

FRANKLIN. — The  conduct  of  England  toward  us  re- 
sembles that  of  Ebenezer  Bullock  toward  his  eldest 
son,  Jonas. 

Washington. — I  remember  old  Ebenezer;  and  I  be- 
lieve it  was  Jonas  who,  when  another  youth,  after  giving 
him  much  offence  and  seeing  him  unresisting  would  fain 
fight  him,  replied:  "  Nay,  I  will  not  fight  thee,  friend;  but 
if  thou  dost  with  that  fist  what  thou  threatenest,  by  the 
Lord's  help  I  will  smite  thee  sore,  marking  thee  for  one 
of  an  ill,  unprofitable  flock;  and  thou  shalt  walk  home  in 
heaviness."  Whereat  he  took  off  his  coat,  folded  it  up, 
and  laid  it  on  the  ground,  saying,  "  This  at  least  hath  done 
no  harm,  and  deserveth  good  treatment."  The  adversary, 
not  admiring  such  an  object  of  contemplation,  went  away 
muttering  more  reasonable  threats,  conditional  and  sub- 
junctive. Ebenezer,  I  guess,  aggravated  and  wore  out  his 
son's  patience;  for  the  old  man  was  rich  and  testy,  and 
would  have  his  comforts  neither  encroached  upon  nor 
much  partaken. 

Franklin. — My  story  is  this.  Jonas  had  been  hunting 
in  the  woods,  and  had  contracted  a  rheumatism  in  the  face 
which  drew  it  awry,  and,  either  from  the  pain  it  occasioned 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  79 

or  from  the  medicines  he  took  to  cure  it,  rotted  one  of  his 
grinders.  Old  Ebenezer  was  wealthy,  had  little  to  do  or 
to  care  about,  made  few  observations  on  his  family,  sick 
or  sound,  and  saw  nothing  particular  in  his  son's  counte- 
nance. However,  one  day  after  dinner  when  he  had  eaten 
heartily,  he  said,  "  Son  Jonas,  methinks  thy  appetite  is  not 
overkeen;  pick  (and  welcome)  the  other  half  of  that  hog's 
foot." 

"  Father,"  answered  he,  "  I  have  had  a  pain  in  my  tooth 
the  last  fortnight;  the  northerly  wind  does  it  no  good 
to-day.  I  would  rather,  if  so  be  that  you  approve  of  it,  eat 
a  slice  of  yon  fair  cheesecake  in  the  closet." 

"Why,  what  ails  the  tooth?"  said  Ebenezer.  "  Noth- 
ing more,"  replied  Jonas,  "  than  that  I  cannot  chew  with 
it  what  I  used  to  chew."  "  Drive  a  nail  in  the  wall,"  quoth 
stoutly  and  courageously  Ebenezer,  "  tie  a  string  to  one 
end,  and  lace  the  other  round  thy  tooth." 

The  son  performed  a  part  of  the  injunction,  but  could 
not  very  dexterously  twist  the  string  around  the  grinder, 
for  his  teeth  were  close  and  the  cord  not  overfine.  Then 
said  the  father  kindly,  "  Open  thy  mouth,  lad!  give  me  the 
twine:  back  thy  head, — back  it,  I  tell  thee,  over  the  chair." 

"  Not  that,  father!  not  that;  the  next,"  cried  Jonas. 
"What  dost  mean?  "  proudly  and  impatiently  said  Eben- 
ezer. "  Is  not  the  string  about  it?  Dost  hold  my  hand 
too,  scapegrace?  Dost  give  me  this  trouble  for  nought?  " 
"  Patience,  now,  father!  "  meekly  said  Jonas,  with  the  cord 
across  his  tongue;   "  let  me  draw  my  tooth  my  own  way." 

"Follow  thine  own  courses,  serpent!"  indignantly  ex- 
claimed Ebenezer.  "  As  God's  in  Boston,  thou  art  a  most 
wilful  and  undutiful  child."  "  I  hope  not,  father."  "  Hope 
not!  rebel!  Did  I  not  beget  thee  and  thy  teeth,  one  and 
all?  Have  not  I  lodged  thee,  clothed  thee,  and  fed  thee, 
these  forty  years;  and  now,  I  warrant  ye,  all  this  bustle 
and  backwardness  about  a  rotten  tooth!  Should  I  be  a 
groat  the  richer  for  it,  out  or  in?  " 

Washington. — Dignity  in  private  men  and  in  govern- 
ments has  been  little  else  than  a  stately  and  stiff  perse- 


80  WASHINGTON  DA  Y  BOOK. 

verance  in  oppression;  and  spirit,  as  it  is  called,  little  else 
than  the  foam  of  hard-mouthed  insolence.  Such  at  last  is 
become  the  audacity  of  Power,  from  a  century  or  more  of 
holidays  and  riot,  it  now  complains  that  you  deprive  it  of 
its  prerogative  if  you  limit  the  exercise  of  its  malignity. 
I  lament  that  there  are  those  who  can  learn  no  lesson  of 
humanity,  unless  we  write  it  broadly  with  the  point  of  the 
sword. 

Franklin. — Let  us  hope,  however,  that  we  may  see 
the  day  when  th«se  scholars  shall  be  turned  out  of  school. 

Washington. — The  object  of  our  cares  and  solicitudes, 
at  present,  is  the  stability  of  the  blessings  we  have  ob- 
tained. No  attempt  against  them  is  dangerous  from  with- 
out, nor  immediately  from  within;  but  the  seeds  of  corrup- 
tion are  inherent,  however  latent,  in  all  bodies,  physical 
and  political;  guards  therefore  should  be  stationed,  and 
laws  enacted,  to  deter  adventurers  from  attempts  at 
despotism. 


A  GREAT  EXPERIMENT. 


GEORGE    WASHINGTON. 

[From  a  letter  to  Catharine  Macaulay  Graham.  New  York,  January  9,  1790.] 

IN  the  first  place  I  thank  you  for  your  congratulatory 
sentiments  on  the  event,  which  has  placed  me  at  the 
head  of  the  American  Government,  as  well  as  for  the  in- 
dulgent partiality,  which  it  is  to  be  feared  may  have  warped 
your  judgment  too  much  in  my  favor.  But  you  do  me  no 
more  than  justice  in  supposing  that,  if  I  had  been  permit- 
ted to  indulge  my  first  and  fondest  wish,  I  should  have 
remained  in  a  private  station. 

Although  neither  the  present  age  nor  posterity  may  pos- 
sibly give  me  full  credit  for  the  feelings,  which  I  have  ex- 
perienced on  this  subject,  yet  I  have  a  consciousness  that 
nothing  short  of  an  absolute  conviction  of  duty  could  ever 
have  brought  me  upon  the  scenes  of  public  life  again.    The 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  81 

establishment  of  our  civil  government  seemed  to  be  the 
last  great  experiment  for  promoting  human  happiness  by 
a  reasonable  compact  in  civil  society.  It  was  to  be,  in  the 
first  instance,  a  considerable  degree,  a  government  of  ac- 
commodation as  well  as  a  government  of  laws.  Much  was 
to  be  done  by  prudence,  much  by  conciliation,  much  by 
firmness.  Few  who  are  not  philosophical  spectators  can 
realize  the  difficult  and  delicate  part  which  a  man  in  my 
situation  had  to  act.  All  see,  and  must  admire,  the  glare 
which  hovers  round  the  external  happiness  of  elevated 
office.  To  me,  there  is  nothing  in  it  beyond  the'  lustre, 
which  may  be  reflected  from  its  connection  with  a  power 
of  promoting  human  felicity. 

In  our  progress  toward  political  happiness  my  station  is 
new,  and,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  I  walk  on  untrodden 
ground.  There  is  scarcely  an  action  the  motive  of  which 
may  not  be  subject  to  a  double  interpretation.  There  is 
scarcely  any  part  of  my  conduct  which  may  not  hereafter 
be  drawn  into  precedent.  Under  such  a  view  of  the  duties 
inherent  in  my  arduous  office,  I  could  not  but  feel  a  diffi- 
dence in  myself  on  the  one  hand,  and  an  anxiety  for  the 
community,  that  every  new  arrangement  should  be  made 
in  the  best  possible  manner,  on  the  other. 

If,  after  all  my  humble  but  faithful  endeavors  to  ad- 
vance the  felicity  of  my  country  and  mankind,  I  may  in- 
dulge a  hope  that  my  labors  have  not  been  altogether  without 
success,  it  will  be  the  only  real  compensation  I  can  receive 
in  the  closing  scenes  of  my  life. 


WASHINGTON'S  FAREWELL  TO  HIS  ARMY. 


WITH  a  heart  full  of  love  and  gratitude  I  now  take 
leave  of  you,  most  devoutly  wishing  that  your 
latter  days  may  be  as  prosperous  and  happy  as  your  former 
ones  have  been  glorious  and  honorable.  I  cannot  come  to 
each  of  you  to  take  my  leave,  but  shall  be  obliged  if  each 
of  you  will  come  and  take  my  hand. 


83  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

THE  BURIAL  OF  WASHINGTON. 


WEDNESDAY  noon  was  fixed  as  the  time  for  the 
funeral.  Extensive  preparations  were  made  for 
the  solemn  event.  Military  and  civic  societies  arranged  to 
participate  in  the  obsequies.  The  sad  day  soon  came,  but 
the  hour  was  postponed  until  three  o'clock,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  military  organization  of  Alexandria.  The 
coffin,  which  was  made  in  Alexandria,  was  of  mahogany, 
lined  with  lead,  and  covered  within  and  without  with  black 
velvet.  On  the  lid  at  the  head  was  a  plate  on  which  was 
inscribed, 

"Surge  ad  Judicium." 

On  another  plate,  in  the  middle,  was  the  inscription — 

"  Gloria  Deo." 

— while  on  a  small  silver  plate  in  the  form  of  an  American 
shield  was  the  inscription — 

George  Washington 
Born  Feb.  22,  1732 
Died  Dec.  14,  1799 

The  pall-bearers  were  Colonels  Little,  Simms,  Payne, 
Gilpin,  Ramsey,  and  Marsleter.  The  order  of  the  proces- 
sion was  as  follows: 

Troops,  Horse  and  Foot 

Clergy, — Revs.  Davis,  Muir,  Moffat  and  Addison 

The  General's  Horse,  with  Saddle,  Holsters,  and  Pistols 

Led  by  the  Two  Grooms,  Cyrus  and  Wilson,  in  Blacl 

The  Body,  Borne  by  Freemasons  and  Officers 

Principal  Mourners 

Lord  Fairfax  and  Ferdinand  Fairfax  . 

Lodge  No.  23,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 

Corporation  of  Alexandria 

All  other  Mourners  in  Procession 

Thus  formed,  the  cortege  moved  slowly  and  solemnly  to 
the  vault  prepared  on  his  own  premises,  while  minute-guns 
were  fired  from  a  schooner  in  the  Potomac  river,  sent 
down  from  Alexandria  for  the  purpose  by  Robert  Hamil- 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  83 

ton.  At  the  vault  the  Episcopal  burial  service  was  read 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  who  also  delivered  a  brief  address. 
The  Masons  then  performed  their  burial  ceremony,  the 
military  salute  was  fired,  followed  by  a  salvo  of  eleven 
pieces  of  artillery  discharged  simultaneously  from  the  rear 
of  the  vault,  where  they  had  been  arrang'ed.  Thus  over 
the  remains  of  the  illustrious  Washington  were  pro- 
nounced the  words,  which  must  at  last  be  said  of  all,  the 
great  as  well  as  the  humble, — "Ash^s  to  ashes,  dust  to 
dust." 


WASHINGTON. 


ELIZA    COOK. 

LAND  of  the  West!  though  passing  brief  the  record  of 
thine  age, 

Thou  hast  a  name  that  darkens  all  on  history's  wide 
page. 

Let  all  the  blasts  of  fame  ring  out, — thine  shall  be  loudest 
far; 

Let  others  boast  their  satellites, — thou  hast  the  planet- 
star. 

Thou  hast  a  name  whose  characters  of  light  shall  ne'er 
depart; 

'Tis  stamp'd  upon  the  dullest  brain,  and  warms  the  coldest 
heart. 

A  war-cry  fit  for  any  land  where  freedom's  to  be  won; 

Land  of  the  West!  it  stands  alone, — it  is  thy  Washing- 
ton. 

Rome  had  its  Caesar,  great  and  brave,  but  stain  was  on  his 

wreath; 
He  lived  the  heartless  conqueror,  and  died  the  tryant's 

death. 
France  had  its  Eagle,  but  his  wings,  though  lofty  they 

might  soar, 


84  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Were  spread  in  false  ambition's  flight,  and  dipped  in  mur- 
der's gore. 

Those  hero-gods  whose  mighty  sway  would  fain  have 
chained  the  waves; 

Who  flashed  their  blades  with  tiger  zeal,  to  make  a  world 
of  slaves; 

Who,  though  their  kindred  barred  the  path,  still  fiercely 
waded  on; 

O,  where  shall  be  their  "  glory  "  by  the  side  of  Washing- 
ton? 

He  fought,  but  not  with  love  of  strife;    he  struck,  but  to 

defend; 
And   ere  he   turned   a   people's  foe,   he   sought  to   be   a 

friend. 
He  strove  to  keep  his  country's  right  by  reason's  gentle 

word ! 
And   sighed   when   fell   injustice  threw   the   challenge, — 

sword  to  sword! 
He  stood,  the  firm,  the  calm,  the  wise,  the  patriot  and 

sage; 
He  showed  no  deep,  avenging  hate, — no  burst  of  despot 

rage; 
He    stood  for    Liberty    and    Truth,    and    dauntlessly    led 

on, 
Till  shouts  of  victory  gave  forth  the  name  of  Washing- 
ton. 

No  car  of  triumph  bore  him  through  a  city  filled  with 
grief; 

No  groaning  captives  at  the  wheel  proclaimed  him  victor 
chief; 

He  broke  the  gyves  of  slavery,  with  strong  and  high  dis- 
dain. 

And  forged  no  scepter  from  the  links,  when  he  had  crushed 
the  chain. 

He  saved  his  land,  but  did  not  lay  his  soldier  trappings 
down, 


WASHINGTON  DA  V  BOOK.  85 

To  change  them  for  the  regal  vest,  and  don  a  kingly 

crown. 
Fame  was  too  earnest  in  her  joy, — too  proud  of  such  a 

son, — 
To  let  a  robe  and  title  mask  a  noble  Washington. 

England,  my  heart  is  truly  thine,  my  loved,  my  native 
earth! 

The  land  that  holds  a  mother's  grave,  and  gave  that 
mother  birth. 

O,  keenly  sad  would  be  the  fate  that  thrust  me  from  thy 
shore, 

And  faltering  my  breath  that  sighed, — "  Farewell  for  ever- 
more! " 

But  did  I  meet  such  adverse  lot,  I  would  not  seek  to 
dwell 

Where  olden  heroes  wrought  the  deeds  for  Homer's  songs 
to  tell. 

"  Away,  thou  gallant  ship!  "  I'd  cry,  "  and  bear  me  swiftly 
on; 

But  bear  me  from  my  own  fair  land  to  that  of  Washing- 
ton." 


LIFE  OF  GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 


[Suitable  for  27  childrea;  girls  and  boys,  or  girls,  or  boys  standing  in  two  divisions.] 

First  child. — George  Washington  was  born  in  Virginia, 
February  22,  1732. 

Second  child. — He  was  the  son  of  Augustine  and  Mary 
Washington,  and  the  eldest  of  five  children. 

Third  child. — He  was  a  bright  and  manly  boy. 

Fourth  child. — He  was  a  good  and  truthful  boy. 

All. — His  truth  shines  down  the  years  afar, 
For  youth  to-day,  a  guiding  star. 


86  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Fifth  child. — His  father  died  when  he  was  eleven  years 
old. 

Sixth  child. — George  studied  hard  and  learned  to  read 
and  write  well. 

Seventh  child. — He  became  excited  over  war  issues  and 
wanted  to  go  to  sea  as  midshipman. 

Eighth  child. — His  mother's  tears  decided  him  and  he 
sent  his  trunk  to  his  room  and  remained  with  her. 

Ninth  child. — In  1748,  when  sixteen  years  old,  he  be- 
came a  surveyor  of  lands. 

Tenth  child. — To  do  this  work  he  went  long  distances 
into  the  woods. 

Eleventh  child. — He  did  his  work  well. 

Twelfth  child. — At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  was  sent  by 
the  governor  of  Virginia  to  the  French  at  Fort  Duquesne. 

Thirteenth  child. — He  carried  a  letter  to  the  French  com- 
mander, telling  him  the  land  belonged  to  England,  and 
ordering  him  to  leave  the  place  at  once. 

Fourteenth  child. — The  French  commander  told  Wash- 
ington the  land  belonged  to  France  and  he  intended  to 
stay  where  he  was. 

Fifteenth  child. — Washington  carried  the  message  to  his 
governor. 

Sixteenth  child. — The  journey  to  and  from  Fort  Du- 
quesne was  full  of  dangers  and  Washington  had  several 
narrow  escapes. 

Seventeenth  child. — The  King  of  England  sent  soldiers 
to  drive  the  French  away. 

Eighteenth  child. — Washington,  in  command  of  Ameri- 
can soldiers,  helped  the  English  fight  the  French  and 
Indians. 

Nineteenth  Child. — Washington  was  so  successful  that  he 
was  made  a  colonel. 

Twentieth  child. — -In  1759  Washington  married  Mrs. 
Martha  Custis. 

Twenty-first  child. — In  1775  Washington  was  appointed 
Commander-in-chief  of  the  American  Army. 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  87 

Twenty-second  child. — He  was  so  wise  and  careful  that  he 
made  us  an  independent  nation. 

All. — All  honor;   may  each  year  his  name 
Grow  brighter  on  the  scroll  of  fame. 

Twenty-third  child. — In  1783,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  he 
resigned  from  the  army  and  went  to  his  home  at  Mt. 
Vernon. 

Twenty-fourth  child. — In  1789  he  was  chosen  President 
of  the  United  States. 

Twenty-fifth  child. — In  1793  he  was  reelected  for  four 
years. 

Twenty-sixth  child. — In  1797  the  people  wished  to  re- 
elect him,  but  he  declined  the  honor  and  retired  again  to 
private  life. 

Tzventy-seventh  child. — In  1799,  on  December  14,  he  died 
at  Mount  Vernon. 

All—  "  Weep  for  our  leader," 

Sadly  men  said; 
"  Let  all  your  tears  fall, 

Now  on  his  head. 
Loud  may  the  cannons  roll, 
Sadly  the  bells  shall  toll, 
Telling  to  all  the  world, 

Washington's  dead." 

First  division. —    When  War  her  bloody  banners  trailed 
Above  his  native  land, 
He  was  the  first  to  hear  the  call, 
And  followed,  sword  in  hand. 

Second  division. — When  Peace,  with  pennons  pure  and  white, 
Came  with  her  gentle  train, 
He  dropped  the  sword,  and  lo!  men  saw 
He  was  the  first  again. 

All. —  And  so,  wherever  Duty  called, 

He  acted  well  his  part. 
For  this,  his  grateful  country  keeps 
His  name  within  her  heart. 


88  WASHINGTON  DA  Y  BOOK. 

First  division. — He  was  first  in  war, — 

Second  division. — First  in  peace, — 

All.  —  First  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 


FLAG  SONG  FOR  WASHINGTON'S  BIRTHDAY. 


ANNIE   E.    CHASE. 
[Aik:   "Hold  the  Fort."] 

RAISE  the  banner,  1  raise  it  proudly, 
With  its  colors  gay; 
Raise  it  for  the  noble  hero 

Who  was  born  to-day. 
See!  2  the  glorious  flag  is  waving2 

Over  land  and  sea.2 
Waving  now  for  him  who  fought2 
To  set  our  country  free.2 

Pretty  banner  in  the  sunlight  3 

Grandly  floating  there,  3  "  • 

Are  you  proud  that  truth  and  courage 

Made  his  fame  so  fair? 
Pretty  banner,  'gainst  the  blue  sky 

Softly  wave  and  slow  4 
For  the  falling  hero  sleeping  4 

Where  the  daisies  grow.  4 

Will  you  heed  2  the  children's  queries? 

Answer  to  our  song? 
Pretty  banner  on  the  breezes 

Send  the  words  along; 
If  we  march  with  heads  uplifted,  5 

Faces  to  the  foe, 
Shall  we  all  of  us  be  heroes? — 

Come,  we  long  to  know. 
Motions. 

i  Raise  fl;ig  with  the  right  hand.  3  Wave  flag  briskly  overhead  and  look  up, 

a  Wave  flag  briskly.  4  Wave  flag  slowjy,  sing  softly. 

5  March, 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK.  89 


WHAT  THE  CHILDREN  LEARNED  AT  SCHOOL. 


STANLEY    SCHELL. 

CHARACTERS:     Ten  of  the  smallest  children  in  the 
school.      Give  each  of  them   a  letter  made  of  paste- 
board and  covered  with  gilt  or  silver  paper. 

Costumes:  White  with  little  sweeping-caps  on  the  head. 
A  big  girl  is  to  be  dressed  as  a  mother. 

Scene:  Mother  is  seated  at  stage  front  sewing.  Door 
opens  and  in  rush  the  ten  children. 

Mamma. — Well,  here  you  are  at  last.  \While  she  is 
speaking  the  children  form  a  semicircle  across  the  stage.] 
What  have  you  learned  to-day  ? 

First  child. — We  have  learned  how  to  make  the  letter  W. 
[Holds  up  "  W"  in /rout  0/ chest.] 

Second  child. — And  the  letter  A  too.  [Holds  up  "A"  in 
front  of  chest.] 

Third  child. — And  S  too.  mamma.      [Holds  up  "  S." 

Fourth  child. — Yes,  and  H  too.      [Holds  up   "H" 

Mamma. — Well,  I  do  declare,  if  that  doesn't  spell  Wash 
— W-A-S-H.  [Stands  and  points  at  each  letter,  then  says 
"  Wash:'] 

Fifth  child. — O,  no,  mamma,  that  isn't  all,  here  is  I — we 
learned  that  too.      [Holds  up  "  /."] 

Sixth  child. — And  here  is  N,  mamma,  we  learned  that 
too.      [Holds  up  "  N/'] 

Mamma. — Well!  Well!  Well!  [Looks  at  all  the  letters 
and  smiling  faces.  ] 

Seventh  child. — Here  is  another  letter,  mamma.  [Holds 
up  "  l7."] 

Mamma.  —  [Sits  again,  puts  hands  on  knee  and  bends  for- 
ward while  she  spells  out  "  W-A-S-H-l-N-G. "]  Why, 
children,  that  spells  "Washing." 

Fighth  child.  —So  it  does,  but,  mamma,  here  is  my  letter 
and  it  is  T.      [Holds  up  "  77'] 


90  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

Ninth  child.— Arid  here  is  O.     [Holds  up  "  0."] 
Mamma. — Well,  I  do  hope  that's  all.    Such  a  lot  of  let- 
ters to  learn  in  one  day. 

Tenth  child. — But  it  isn't,  mamma,  for  I  have  one  and  it 
is  the  letter  N.  [Holds  up  "  N."]  And  we  have  learned 
to  spell  the  name  of  a  man,  first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and 
first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 

First  child. —  W 
Second  child. —  A 
Third  child, —  S 
Fourth  child. —  H 
Fifth  child. —  I 
Sixth  child. —  N 
Seventh  child. — G 
Eighth  child.—  T 
Ninth  child. —  O 
Tenth  child. —   N 

All. — Washington  [drawl  it],  the  Father  of  His  Country. 
[Curtain  falls.] 


THE  LITERARY  SIDE  OF  WASHINGTON. 


W 


JOHN  DE  MORGAN. 

E  have  honored  Washington,  our  first  President,  as 
a  soldier,  as  a  statesman,  a  ruler,  but  we  are  apt  to 
lose  sight  of  that  side  of  his  character  that  not  only  made 
his  victories  possible,  but,  out  of  the  chaos  of  disruption, 
created  a  harmonic  system  of  government  which  was 
suited  not  merely  for  an  age,  but  for  all  time. 

Washington's  education  was  of  the  crudest  kind;  he 
lived  at  a  time  when  learning  was  less  prized  than  in  later 
years.  He  had  no  classical  knowledge,  could  speak  no 
other  language  than  English,  required  an  interpreter  when 
conversing  with  the  French  generals  who  joined  the  colo- 


WASHINGTON  DA  Y  BOOK.  91 

nists,  but  was  passionately  fond  of  mathematics.  He  had 
great  physical  strength,  was  fond  of  military  and  athletic 
exercises,  grew  tall  and  well-proportioned  and  was  greatly 
admired  by  his  friends  in  the  Virginia  valley. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  wrote  out,  for  his  own  use,  1 10 
maxims  of  civility  and  good  behavior,  and  two  years  later 
indited  some  love  poems  to  a  young  lady  who  lived  near 
the  Washington  home. 

He  commenced  the  arduous  task  of  surveying  the  wild 
territory  of  the  Virginia  valley  when  he  was  but  sixteen, 
being  paid  a  doubloon  a  day.  For  months  .he  camped  out 
in  the  forest,  in  peril  from  Indians  and  squatters. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  entered  upon  his  military 
career  and  was  so  remarkable  for  his  courage  that  the  In- 
dians believed  he  bore  a  charmed  life. 

For  some  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Assem- 
bly; and  in  1774,  though  opposed  to  the  idea  of  inde- 
pendence, he  declared  he  was  ready  to  fight,  if  necessary, 
for  the  constitutional  rights  of  the  colonies.  He  very  sel- 
dom spoke  and  then  but  briefly;  but  Patrick  Henry  de- 
clared him  to  be,  "  for  sound  judgment  and  solid  informa- 
tion, unquestionably  the  greatest  man  in  the  Assembly." 

Washington  believed  more  in  the  pen  than  the  tongue; 
he  wrote  down  his  thoughts  in  copy-books,  copied,  revised 
and  rewrote  them  until  he  produced  admirable  specimens 
of  pure  English.  Jefferson  said  of  him:  "  In  public,  when 
called  on  for  a  sudden  opinion,  he  was  unready,  short  and 
embarrassed.  Yet,  he  wrote  readily,  rather  diffusely,  in  an 
easy  and  correct  style." 

When  a  man  writes,  he  shows  his  true  soul;  he  searches, 
meditates,  calls  up  all  his  reasoning  power  and  impresses 
his  individuality  on  the  page.  George  Washington  proved 
that  it  is  not  study  alone,  not  a  knowledge  of  the  classics 
that  produces  a  writer,  it  is  .intensity  of  purpose;  a  strong 
sense  of  duty;  an  inspiration.  Most  of  the  things  he  wrote 
were  conventional,  no  doubt,  but  he  so  impressed  his  own 
personality  on  everything  that  he  did  there  is  a  charm  in 
even  the  commonplace.     With  him  a  good  thought  was 


92  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

like  the  life-blood  of  a  master  soul,  and  he  embalmed  it  for 
the  treasury  of  future  ages. 

When  Washington's  "  Book  of  Moral  and  Political 
Maxims  "  was  printed  the  Earl  of  Buchan  said:  "  I  rec- 
ommend the  constant  remembrance  of  the  moral  and  po- 
litical maxims  conveyed  to  its  citizens  by  the  Father  and 
Founder  of  the  United  States.  It  seems  to  me  that  such 
maxims  and  such  advice  ought  to  be  engraved  in  every 
forum  or  place  of  common  assembly  among  the  people 
and  read  by  parents,  teachers  and  guardians  to  their  chil- 
dren and  pupils,  so  that  true  religion  and  wit,  its  insep- 
arable actendant,  may  be  imbibed  by  the  rising  generation, 
to  remote  ages." 

The  original  manuscript  of  this  book  is  preserved,  and  it 
shows  the  care  with  which  Washington  prepared  every- 
thing before  submitting  it  to  the  public.  The  first  copy 
contains  uncouth  construction  of  sentences,  curious  use 
of  words,  old  style  of  capitalization,  confused  spelling  of 
words  in  ordinary  use,  awkward  punctuation  and  many 
abbreviations.  The  alterations,  interlineations  and  cor- 
rections were  so  many  that  the  manuscript  was  copied, 
again  the  pages  were  filled  with  corrections  and  so  on, 
until  after  patient  labor  the  book  was  published  in  1796, 
when  it  was  considered  to  be  an  excellent  specimen  of  per- 
fect English. 

He  was  fond  of  epigram.  All  through  his  writings, 
through  the  many  messages  to  Congress,  his  correspon- 
dence with  statesmen  and  foreign  governments,  with  per- 
sonal friends  and  relatives,  we  find  great  truths  pithily  ex- 
pressed.    For  example: 

"  Time  may  unfold  more  than  prudence  ought  to  dis- 
close." 

"  Influence  is  not  government." 

"  Few  men  have  virtue  to  withstand  the  highest  bidder." 

"  It  is  to  be  lamented  that  great  characters  are  seldom 
without  a  blot." 

"  Without  virtue  and  without  integrity  the  finest  talents 
and  the  most  brilliant  accomplishments  can  never  gain  the 


WASHINGTON  DA  Y  BOOK.  98 

respect  and  conciliate  the  esteem  of  the  truly  valuable 
part  of  mankind." 

"  I  require  no  guard  but  the  affections  of  the  people." 

He  was  thorough  in  everything  he  did,  and,  as  he  wrote 
to  George  Washington  Parke-Curtis  in  1798;.  "Without 
thoroughness  nothing  can  be  attained.  System  in  all 
things  should  be  aimed  at,  for  in  execution  it  renders 
everything  more  easy." 

The  Empress  of  Russia  tried  to  interest  the  literary  men 
of  the  time  in  a  proposed  Universal  Dictionary.  Wash- 
ington was  a  fervent  advocate  of  the  idea.  To  the  pro- 
moter he  wrote: 

"  To  know  the  affinity  of  tongues  seems  to  be  one  step 
toward  promoting  the  affinity  of  nations.  Would  to  God 
the  harmony  of  nations  were  an  object  that  lay  nearest  to 
the  hearts  of  sovereigns  and  that  the  incentives  to  peace, 
of  which  commerce  and  facility  of  understanding  each 
other  are  not  the  most  inconsiderable,  might  be  daily 
increased." 

When  Mathew  Carey  established  the  Columbian  Maga- 
zine and  Lhe  American  Museum,  two  high-class  periodicals, 
Washington  wrote  him  indorsing  the  idea  and  saying: 

"  I  consider  such  easy  vehicles  of  knowledge  more 
happily  calculated  than  any  other  to  preserve  the  liberty, 
stimulate  the  industry,  and  meliorate  the  morals  of  an 
enlightened  and  free  peop1e." 

In  accepting  the  honor  of  membership  in  the  Society  of 
the  Patrons  of  Literature,  1789,  Washington  wrote: 

"  I  am  not  a  little  flattered,  by  being  considered  by  the 
Patrons  of  Literature  as  one  of  their  number.  Fully  ap- 
prised of  the  influence  which  sound  learning  has  on  religion 
and  manners  in  government,  liberty  and  laws,  I  shall  only 
lament  my  want  of  abilities  to  make  it  still  more  extensive." 

Washington's  messages  to  Congress  were  ably  nre- 
pared,  logical  and  full  of  the  soundest  wisdom.  They 
will  ever  stand  forth  as  proof  that,  if  Washington  was  great 
as  a  soldier,  distinguished  as  a  ruler,  he  was  also  pre- 
eminently an  able  literary  man,  a  writer  of  good  English, 


94  WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 

able  to  express  the  highest  aspirations  in  the  simplest  and 
tersest  manner. 

From  his  first  inaugural,  delivered  in  New  York,  April 
30,  1789,  to  the  farewell  to  the  American  people  in  1796, 
every  message,  every  public  document  bearing  his  name, 
is  worthy  of  study  by  the  student  of  literature  as  well  as 
the  citizen  who  is  proud  of  the  nation  which  Washington 
did  so  much  to  call  into  existence. 

His  library  was  not  a  large  one,  but  the  books  it  con- 
tained were  practical,  and  show  by  their  titles  that  their 
owner  was  a  man  who  believed  in  "  proving  all  things." 

Jefferson  said  of  him:  "  His  mind  was  great  and  power- 
ful, without  being  of  the  very  first  order;  his  penetration 
strong,  though  not  so  acute  as  that  of  a  Newton,  Bacon 
or  Locke;  and,  so  far  as  he  saw,  no  judgment  was  ever 
sounder." 

One  of  Washington's  epigrams  tells  us  the  value  he 
placed  on  books: 

"  Books  are  waste  paper  unless  we  spend  in  action  the 
wisdom  we  get  from  them." 

The  Father  of  his  Country  spent  considerable  time  dur- 
ing the  last  vears  of  his  life  in  revising  his  literary  works, 
taking  especial  care  that  no  sentence  should  be  allowed  to 
live  if  it  contained  anything  likely  to  be  misunderstood. 
In  all  things  he  was  most  conscientious. 

When  he  died  he  won  from  all  nations  a  eulogy  which 
is  well  expressed  by  an  English  tourist  in  the  Visitor's 
Book  of  Mount  Vernon: 

Magnanimous  in  youth, 

Glorious  through  life, 

Great  in  death. 

His  highest  ambition  the  happiness  of  mankind, 

His  noblest  victory  the  conquest  of  himself — 

Bequeathing  to  posterity  the  inheritance  of  his  fame, 

And  building  his  monument  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 


Born  to  high  destinies,  he  was  fashioned  for  them  by  the 
hand  of  Nature. — Gouveneur  Morris. 


Washington  day  book.  95 


WASHINGTON  AND  LINCOLN. 

Washington  and  Lincoln — their  names  are  inseparably 
associated  in  the  minds  of  a  grateful  republic,  and  their 
fame  is  forever  united  in  the  annals  of  the  world. 

History  will  accord  each  the  place  of  honor  among 
patriots.  We  cannot  think  of  Washington  on  the  anniver- 
sary of  his  natal  day  and  be  unmindful  of  Lincoln  and  his 
greatness.  One  redeemed  his  country  from  a  foreign  foe; 
the  other  saved  it  from  foes  of  its  own  household.  Wash- 
ington gave  us  a  country;  Lincoln  saved  it.  Washington 
fought  that  we  might  have  peace,  liberty  and  happiness; 
Lincoln  fought  that  we  might  enjoy  inestimable  blessings 
without  molestation.  Washington  struck  the  scepter  from 
a  tyrant's  hand;  Lincoln  struck  the  fetters  from  the  en- 
slaved. Washington  consecrated  a  country;  Lincoln  hal- 
lowed it.  Washington  is  the  father  of  our  country;-  Lin- 
coln, the  savior  of  it.  Washington  was  a  general  without 
fear  or  reproach;  Lincoln,  a  statesman  without  guile  or 
shame.  Washington  was  the  lion-hearted;  Lincoln,  the 
simple-hearted. 

The  memory  of  each  is  embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  men 
and  shall  be  revered  as  long  as  men  remember  deeds  of 
patriotism,  of  mercy,  of  justice,  of  peace.  It  is  on  this  day 
that  we  ask  what  the  lives  of  Washington  and  Lincoln 
offer  for  our  emulation  and  copy.  Each  was  in  earnest, 
each  devoted  himself  to  what  he  had  to  do,  and  having 
something  to  do  each  did  it  well.  Each  was  a  good  man; 
their  trust  was  in  a  higher  power,  and  they  never  under- 
took any  task  without  asking  divine  aid  and  direction. 
Each  was  patriotic,  their  country  called  them,  and  they 
obeyed  its  call  to  the  sacrifice  of  any  other  ambition.  Each 
was  a  hero  in  great  things  as  well  as  in  small  things.  They 
ruled  their  own  spirits  as  they  ruled  the  people.  These 
points  may  be  enough  for  us,  as  a  younger  generation,  to 


96 


WASHINGTON  DAY  BOOK. 


copy  and  imitate:  Earnestness,  uprightness,  patriotism, 
heroism.  If  these  four  live  in  our  minds  and  hearts,  to 
inspire,  mature  and  make  us  better  men  and  women,  better 
citizens,  Washington  and  Lincoln  will  not  have  lived  and 
died  in  vain. 

BLACKBOARD  OUTLINE. 


WASHINGTON 

Redeemed  his  country  from  a  for- 
eign foe. 

Washington  fought  that  we 
might  have  peace,  liberty  and 
happiness. 

Washington  struck  the  sceptre 
from  the  tyrant's  hand. 

Washington  consecrated  a  coun- 
try. 

Washington,  the  father  of  our 
country. 

Washington,  the  general  without 
fear  or  reproach. 

Washington,  the  lion-hearted. 


Saved   his    country  from  its  own 
people. 

Lincoln  fought  that  these  ines- 
timable blessings  might  be  ours 
without  molestation. 

Lincoln  struck  the  fetters  from 

the  enslaved. 

Lincoln  hallowed  it. 
Lincoln,  the  savior  of  it. 

Lincoln,  the  statesman  without 
guile  or  shame. 

Lincoln,  the  simple-hearted. 


Each  was  in  earnest  and  devoted  himself  to  his  task  and 
did  it  well.  Each  was  a  good  man  with  trust  in  a  higher 
power.  Each  was  patriotic.  Each  was  a  hero  in  great  and 
small  things.  Each  ruled  his  own  spirit  as  he  ruled  the 
people. 


PART  II 

MISTRESS  PENELOPE 


Colonial  Play  in  One  Act. 


Characters  :    John  Weatherford,  Colonial  soldier. 

Major  Maurice  Cumberland,  dashing  cavalier. 
Sergeant  Blitzen;  Hessian. 
Master  William  Banks,  mischievous  schoolboy. 
Penelope  Gray,  Quakeress. 

Time:    During  American  Revolution. 

Scene:  Interior  of  schoolroom  in  Pennsylvania.  Door  L.  C. 
back.  Windows  with  shutters  partially  closed  R. 
Desk  and  chair  C.  Books,  etc.,  on  desk.  Pupils' 
benches  arranged  in  diagonal  rows  C.  and  L., 
facing  desk.  Blackboard  near  desk  in  full  view  of 
window.  Large  woodbox  with  iron  clamp  lock 
R.  C.  back. 

[At  rise  of  curtain,  Penelope  is-  at  desk.  William  is  laboriously 
copying  on  blackboard  "Taxation  without  repre- 
sentation is  tyranny."  As  he  -finishes,  Penelope 
rises  and  moves  toward  him.] 

Penelope.  That  will  do,  Master  William.  Thee  has  been 
naughty — aye,  very  naughty. 

William  [tearfully].    I — I'm  sorry,  Mistress  Penelope. 

Penelope  [heartily].  Bless  thy  little  heart,  of  course  thee  is. 
And  wilt  promise  never  to  tell  a  lie  again?  But  if  thee  should 
transgress,  I — I  needs  must  shut  thee  in  yonder  woodbox,  and  thee 
knows  'tis  a  monstrous  disagreeable  place  to  hide. 

William.    I  promise  to  be  good,  Mistress  Penelope. 

97 


98  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Penelope.  Very  well,  Master  William.  Now,  run  home. 
Loiter  not,  for  there  are  many  rough  men  hereabouts  in  these 
troublous  times. 

William.    I'll  be  careful. 

Penelope.    That  is  right.    I  charge  thee  to  [sweetly]. 

William.     Good-by.     [Exit  through  door.] 

[Penelope  accompanies  William  to  door,  and  looks  off 
L.}  watching  him  disappear.'] 

Penelope  [musingly].  Master  William,  thee  is  a  monstrous 
wicked  boy,  and  thee  sorely  tries  my  patience,  yet  in  spite  of  all 
thy  faults  I  love  thee  fondly.  [Walks  slowly  to  desk  and  busies 
herself  with  books.  Brief  silence,  broken  at  length  by  gentle  tap- 
ping on  window.]  What  was  that?  Oh,  I  warrant  'tis  Master 
William  hatching  mischief  again.  [Moves  toward  window  and 
speaks  loudly  as  if  to  some  one  outside.]  Master  William,  when 
thee  is  locked  securely  in  the  woodbox,  thee  will  not — [throws  open 
shutters  while  speaking.  Face  of  John  Weatherford  appears  at 
window.    Penelope  starts  back  in  alarm.]     Oh  !  I — I 

John  [quietly].  Forgive  me,  Mistress  Penelope,  I  ask  your 
pardon ;  I  heard  the  little  fellow  call  you  that,  but  I  am  in  extreme 
danger.  My  enemies  are  close  upon  me,  and  I  wish  to  conceal 
myself  here  in  this  old  schoolroom  till  darkness  shall  make  pursuit 
less  easy.  [Points  to  blackboard.]  Surely,  the  teacher  who  sets 
her  pupils  so  loyal  a  copy  will  not  deny  refuge  to  a  poor  Colonial 
soldier  ? 

Penelope  [kindly].  It  is  not  in  my  heart  to  deny  shelter  to  one 
of  my  country's  defenders.     The  door  stands  open. 

John  [raising  hand  in  remonstrance].  Nay,  gentle  mistress,  I 
prefer  a  less  ostentatious  mode.  The  bushes  which  grow  close  to 
the  window  here  conceal  my  presence.  I'll  come  in  by  the  window, 
an'  it  please  you. 

Penelope.  Enter  by  whatever  way  thee  considers  circumspect. 
[Enter  John  through  window.] 

John   [fervently].     May  heaven  bless  you!     I  had  well  nigh 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  99 

forgotten  that  goodness  could  dwell  in  this  land,  and  your  kindness 
has  lightened  my  spirits  right  wondrously. 

Penelope.     I  fear  thy  tongue's  inclined  to  flattery. 

John.  You  misjudge  me.  Since  sunrise  I  have  ridden  with  the 
British  at  my  heels.  I  carry  to  General  Washington  papers  of  the 
utmost  importance.  Back  at  the  turn  of  the  road  my  horse  fell 
exhausted.  I  crept  stealthily  to  yonder  window  and  hid  there  in 
the  vines  and  bushes.  I  did  not  intend  to  make  my  presence 
known.  It  was  my  purpose  to  enter  after  you  had  closed  the 
schoolroom,  but  through  the  half-opened  shutters  I  saw  your  face ; 
I  listened  to  your  kindly  precepts,  and  I — I  vowed  that  my  lips 
should  speak  the  secret  of  my  heart,  though  it  cost  me  my  life. 

Penelope  [demurely].    Thee  is  very  impassioned,  sir. 

John.     Impassioned?    Mistress  Penelope,  I  swear 

Penelope  [archly].  Prithee,  do  not.  The  naughty  boys  who 
swear  are  banished  to  the  woodbox  yonder. 

John  [aside].  Ah,  why  not?  'Tis  the  very  place  to  hide, 
should  my  pursuers  pass  this  way.  [Turning  to  Penelope.]  May- 
hap, Mistress  Penelope,  it  may  serve  me  well  to  yield  to  your 
gentle  discipline.  What  other  punishment  do  you  inflict  upon  the 
wayward  ? 

Penelope  [taking  long  leather  strap  from  desk].  Believe  me, 
sir,  I  strap  them  with  this  little  piece  of  leather,  or  else  I  bid  them 
copy  a  sentence  on  yonder  blackboard  a  hundred  times,  and  'tis 
no  mean  punishment,  I  warrant  thee. 

John  [laughing.]^  I  should  say  not,  indeed.  I  had  a  teacher 
once  and  she  taught  me  to  write  an  exercise  like  this : 

[John  steps  to  blackboard,  and  writes  in  form  of  conjuga- 
tion :  "  I  love,  You  love,  He  loves,  We  love,"  etc.] 

Penelope  [reading] .    "  I  love,  You  love " 


John.  I  ask  your  pardon,  little  Quakeress.  [Erases  words 
"  You  love''  and  substitutes  "  Thee  loves."] 

Penelope  [looks  coquettishly  at  John].  "Thee  loves"  ('tis 
better  so),  "  He  loves,  We  love " 


100  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

John  [with  intensity].  Yes,  we  love!  Is.  there  in  all  the  lan- 
guages of  the  world  a  sentence  half  so  sweet  as  that?  Through 
all  the  countless  ages  I've  sought  in  vain  for  you.  Why,  God 
has  had  this  meeting  in  preparation  for  a  thousand,  thousand  years. 
Don't  you  know  it? 

Penelope  [shyly].     I'm  afraid  I — I 

John  [resolutely].  There  was  a  Penelope  once  who  loved  a 
soldier,  aye,  loved  him  so  truly  that  her  very  name  has  come  to 
be  the  symbol  of  patience  and  fidelity.  Tell  me,  are  you  like  her? 
Would  you — if — if  you  loved  me — wait  as  she  waited  for  her  sol- 
dier lover  to  come  back? 

Penelope.     Thee — thee  shouldst  know,  Friend 

John  [quickly].    John,  John  Weatherford's  my  name. 

Penelope.  Well,  Friend  John,  women  are  wondrously  alike, 
whether  our  lovers  fight  the  Trojans  or  the  British. 

John  [eagerly].    You  mean? 

Penelope  [tenderly].  That  if  I  loved  thee,  I'd  be  as  constant 
as  was  that  other  Penelope  who  lived  so  long  ago. 

John  [fervently].    Ah,  my  angel,  my 

Penelope.  Nay,  nay,  Friend  John.  I  like  not  thy  assurance 
I  said  if  I  loved  thee. 

John.  If  you  loved  me !  Ah,  Mistress  Penelope,  would  you 
let  that  little  word  wreck  a  lover's  happiness  ?  Surely  your  heart 
pleads  for  me.    Tell  me,  isn't  it  so? 

[Horses'  hoof-beats  heard  outside.] 

Penelope.    Harken,  Friend  John.    What's  that?  . 

John  [lightly].    'Tis  my  pursuers! 

Penelope  [with  agitation'] .  Thy  pursuers  !  Oh,  hide  quickly ! 
[Running  to  woodbox  and  raising  cover.]  See,  here's  the  ver)' 
place. 

John  [bitterly].  Why  should  I  hide?  What  is  there  to  liv<3 
for  except  it  be  your  love? 

Penelope.    But — but  I  ask  thee  to. 

John.    From  pity?    Would  you  ask  as  much  of  any  man? 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  101 

Penelope  [petulantly].  Oh,  how  stubborn  thee  is!  Thee  will 
be  shot  before  my  very  eyes. 

John.    And  would  you  care  if  I  were? 

Penelope.    Care  ?    Oh,  Friend  John ! 

John  [heartily'].  God  bless  you!  I  have  your  answer,  little 
girl.     Hide  me  where  you  will. 

Penelope.  Here.  [Leads  John  to  woodbox  and  helps  him  to 
enter.]  There,  I'll  not  lock  thee  in.  Keep  very  quiet.  [John 
kneels  in  box  and  Penelope  closes  cover.] 

[Enter  Major  Maurice  Cumberland  through  door.] 

Cumberland  [graciously].  Ah,  good-morrow,  my  pretty  little 
Ouak'ress.  Have  you  no  smile  of  welcome  for  one  of  Old  Eng- 
land's defenders? 

Penelope  [tossing  her  head].  Thee  flatters  thyself  if  thee 
thinks  thee  can  win  a  smile  so  easily. 

Cumberland.  Jove !  But  you  have  a  ready  wit,  and  merit 
my  confidence.  I'm  searching  for  a  Yankee  scout — a  daredevil 
sort  of  fellow — who  must  have  passed  this  way.  Perhaps  you  can 
give  me  the  information  I  desire. 

Penelope  [evasively].  I  fear  not,  sir.  I've  been  in  the  school- 
room all  day  and  my  position  is  most  secluded. 

Cumberland  [boisterously].  Egad,  you're  right;  and  I  feel  it 
my  duty  to  enliven  your  solitude.  My  companions  are  having 
their  horses  shod  at  the  forge.  I  told  them  to  join  me  here.  Come, 
aren't  you  glad  to  see  me? 

Penelope.    I — I  do  not  like  thee,  sir. 

Cumberland  [laughing].  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  [Imitating  Penelope.] 
I  admire  thy  frankness.  There's  many  a  maid  in  merry  England 
would  barter  her  very  soul  for  Major  Cumberland's  favor. 

Penelope.     I'm  not  an  English  maid,  sir. 

Cumberland.  No;  but  you're  the  daintiest  little  Quak'ress 
'twas  ever  my  luck  to  encounter.     Come,  let  me 

Penelope.    Stop,,  sir ! 


102  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Cumberland   [mockingly].     Thee  is  a  very  determined  little 

Quakeress.     [Places  arm  about  her.~\ 

Penelope  [struggling'] .    Release  me,  sir  !    I 

Cumberland.     'Tis  useless  to  struggle,  my  pretty.     Your  lips 

are  a  thousand  times  too  tempting  to 

[John  throws  back  cover  to  zvoodbox,  and  rises  to  full 
height  with  pistol  leveled  at  Cumberland.] 

John.    Major  Cumberland,  you  annoy  the  lady. 

Cumberland  [starting  toward  him].  What!  [with  hand  on 
sword-hilt].    You  insolent 

John.  Tut,  tut!  Hands  up !  [Cumberland  hesitates.]  Make 
haste,  I'm  in  no  humor  to  be  trifled  with.  [Major  slowly  raises 
hands.]  That's  better.  Mistress  Penelope,  may  I  trouble  you  to 
remove  the  Major's  pistols?  [Penelope  removes  pistols  from 
Cumberland^  belt,  placing  them  on  desk.]  Thank  you.  Now, 
Major,  your  sword. 

Cumberland.    By  heaven,  sir  !    I'll  not  submit 

John  [coolly].  Oh,  yes,  you  will,  or  I  shall  shoot  in  just  three 
seconds.     [Counts.]     One,  two 

Cumberland  [removing  sword  and  belt].    Dog  of  a  spy! 

John.  Exactly.  How  nicely  we  understand  each  other !  Now, 
I  must  ask  you  to  remove  your  coat,  my  dear  sir. 

Cumberland  [removing  coat] .     Bah  !     You — you 

John.  Never  mind.  [Pointing  to  coat.]  You  may  hand  it  to 
your  "  pretty  little  Ouak'ress,"  if  you  wish.  [Penelope  takes 
coat.]  Now,  let  me  see.  I'd  like  a  stout  piece  of  rope,  but,  un- 
fortunately— oh,  I  have  it !  Will  you  lend  me  the  strap,  Mistress 
Penelope  ? 

Penelope  [taking  strap  from  desk].  Thee  is  very  welcome, 
Friend  John.     Here  it  is.     [Starts  forward.] 

John  [hastily].  No,  no.  Don't  leave  the  pistols,  dear.  [Penel- 
ope steps  back.]  That's  it.  Now,  Major,  your  arms  behind  you, 
please.  [Major  places  arms  behind  back.]  Good  !  You  have  the 
idea  exactly.    Mistress  Penelope,  will  you  be  kind  enough  to  raise 


■      WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  103 

the  pistols,  one  in  each  hand,  and  point  them  straight  at  the 
Major's  head?  If  he  makes  the  slightest  motion,  shoot.  I  know- 
it's  against  your  conscience  to  engage  in  strife,  but  the  Major's  a 
gentleman  and  "will  never  take  advantage  of  a  lady. 

[Penelope  raises  pistols,  one  in  each  hand,  and  aims  them 
at  Cumberland.    John  lowers  pistol  and  advances.] 

Cumberland.  Oh,  you'll  pay  for  this,  my  fine  fellow.  My 
companions  will  be  here  shortly. 

John  [quietly].  Thanks,  I'm  glad  to  know  it.  We  must  hurry 
then.  [Takes  strap  from  Penelope  and  tics  Major's  hands  be- 
hind back;  takes  handkerchief  from  pocket  of  Major's  coat,  and 
from  his  ozvn.  He  zvorks  very  rapidly.]  Open  your  mouth,  Major. 
Quick !  I  hear  horsemen  in  the  distance.  [Sound  of  horsemen 
galloping  heard  faintly.  John  places  pistol  at  Cumberland's 
mouth.  Cumberland  opens  mouth,  and  John  places  one  handker- 
chief in  mouth,  and  ties  the  other  about  mouth,]  Now,  into  the 
woodbox  with  you !  Lively,  sir,  lively !  [Leads  Major  to  wood- 
box.]  Lie  down,  if  you  please.  [Major  reclines  in  box.]  There. 
Au  revoir,  Major.  I  wish  you  pleasant  dreams.  [Closes  cover  to 
box  and  fastens  it  with  clamp.  Removes  coat  and  puts  on  Major's 
coat;  turns  Jo  Penelope.]  Now,  dear  little  girl,  good-bye.  The 
Major's  horse  will  carry  me  straight  to  General  Washington.  Then 
I  shall  return  here  to  the  little  schoolhouse  where  my  gentle  mis- 
tress will  be  waiting.    Tell  me,  isn't  it  true  ? 

Penelope.  Yes,  I — I'll  be  waiting  for  thee,  Friend  John,  for — 
for — wouldst  hear  me  say  it? — I — I  love  thee. 

John  [devoutly].    Bless  you  for  those  words. 

[Sound  of  approaching  horsemen.'] 

Penelope.     Go.     Go  quickly.    The  soldiers  are  coming! 

John.  Soldiers !  What  do  I  care  for  soldiers  ?  You  love  me 
and  I  know  no  fear.  I  shall  see  your  tender  eyes  in  every  star 
that  shines  above  me  in  my  lonely  ride  to-night. 


104  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

[They  embrace.     Exit  John  through  door.] 

Penelope  [watching  him  from  door] .  Good-bye,  good-bye,  dear. 
[Cries.]  Stop,  stop,  John!  The  soldiers  are  almost  upon  thee. 
Ah,  how  brave  he  is !  He  has  mounted  the  Major's  horse  and  is 
waving  his  hand  to  me.  [Waves  hand.]  Good-bye,  Good-bye, 
John  !  The  soldiers  have  quickened  their  pace — no- — John  points 
toward  the  schoolhouse,  and  they  are  drawing  rein.  Oh,  the 
Major's  coat  has  deceived  them !     [Sound  of  hoof -beats  ceases.] 

[Enter  Sergeant  Blitzen  through  door.] 

Blitzen.  Wie  geht's,  mein  Fraulein?  Ve  vere  to  meet  der 
Major  here.    Did  he  leaf  any  vord  mit  you? 

Penelope  [quickly].  Yes,  yes.  [Looks  straight  before  her  as 
if  thinking  intently.]  The  Major  said  that  I  was  to  tell  thee  that 
— that  this  Yankee  spy  had — had  escaped  across  the  Delaware. 
And  that — that  the  chase  would  not  be  continued  till  morning. 
The  Major  himself  will  sleep  at  a — a  friend's  house  in  the  next 
village.  He  bids  thee  and  thy  companions  meet  him  there  in  the 
morning.     Does  thee  understand? 

Blitzen.  Ja.  I  vill  opey  der  Major  mit [Sound  of  kick- 
ing in  zvoodbox.]    Himmel !    Vat  vas  dot? 

Penelope  [innocently].  Oh,  that?  That  is  one  of  my — er — 
pupils.  He — he  was  so  unruly  that  I — I  locked  him  in  yonder 
woodbox.  It — it's  the  way  I  punish  my  naughtiest  boys,  and — 
and  this  one  was  monstrous  naughty.  [Goes  to  zvoodbox  and 
speaks'  sharply.]  Master  William,  be  quiet,  or  I'll  chastise  thee 
more  severely. 

Blitzen  [dully].  So?  Vot  a  defer  idea  it  vas!  I  dhank  you, 
mein  Fraulein,  for  your  courtesies.  Gute-nacht.  [Makes  deep 
bozv  and  exits  through  door.] 

Penelope.  Good-night.  [Brief  silence.]  Ah,  John,  thee  said 
there  was  a  Penelope  once  who  loved  a  soldier.  I  wonder  if  she 
loved  him  half  so  much  as  I  love  mine?  She  was  only  a  little 
deceitful,  while  I — oh  !     [Stops  as  if  overwhelmed  with  const ema- 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  105 

tion;  shakes  finger,  addressing  an  imaginary  self.']  Mistress  Pene- 
lope, thee  must  write  thy  copy  a  hundred  times,  for  thee  has  told 
a  lie  to-day.     [Takes  crayon  and  turns  to  blackboard.] 

CURTAIN. 


CROWNING  OF  WASHINGTON 


Stanley  Schell. 


Stage  Setting:  Center  of  stage,  Washington  portrait  set  in 
arch  or  in  double  frame  on  easel  or  table.  Wreaths  of  ever- 
greens or  flowers  hang  on  arch  or  frame.  If  real  flowers  are 
scarce,  use  artificial  flowers.  Forty-six  (or  more,  according 
to  number  of  States)  boys  and  girls,  each  carrying  garland  or 
wreath,  take  part  in  crowning  Washington  by  States.  Each 
reciter  steps  out  from  ranks,  recites  his  verse,  and  places  his 
offering.  National  song  may  be  sung  after  this  exercise,  or 
there  may  be  tableau  finale.  In  this  exercise,  the  thirteen 
original  States  come  first,  then  the  others  follow  in  order  of 
their  admission  as  States  into  the  Union. 

1.  Delaware. 

Delaware  will  wreathe  her  bays 
To  tell  our  hero's  matchless  praise. 

2.  Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania  holds  him  great 

Who  spurned  a  crown  to  make  a  state. 

3.  New  Jersey. 

New  Jersey,  Trenton,  can't  forget, 
Her  hero  claims  her  laurels  yet. 

4.  Georgia. 

Georgia  exalts  him  high 

Who  made  the  flag  of  freedom  fly. 


106  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

5.  Connecticut. 

Connecticut,  with  laurels  dight, 
Would  keep  our  hero's  honor  bright. 

6.  Massachusetts. 

Massachusetts,  Pilgrim  State, 
Proclaims  him  hero,  grand  and  great. 

7.  Maryland. 

Maryland  crowns  the  peaceful  heart, 
Unspoiled  by  cruel  deed  or  art. 

8.  South  Carolina. 

South  Carolina  follows  on 

To  wreathe  a  wreath  for  Washington. 

9.  New  Hampshire. 

New  Hampshire  brings  him  honor,  too, 
In  offerings  sweet  and  true. 

10.  Virginia. 

Virginia  hails  her  high-born  son, 
The  proud  and  peerless  Washington. 

11.  New  York. 

New  York,  a  mighty  empire  now, 
Still  crowns  her  gallant  leader's  brow. 

12.  North  Carolina. 

North  Carolina's  flowers  are  brought 
To  him  who  independence  wrought. 

13.  Rhode  Island. 

Rhode  Island  comes  with  willing  feet 
To  place  a  garland  fair  and  sweet. 

14.  Vermont. 

Vermont  has  come  to  take  her  stand 
To  crown  him  with  a  lavish  hand. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  107 

15.  Kentucky. 

Kentucky  would  his  praise  prolong. 
For  fortitude  and  valor  strong. 

16.  Tennessee. 

Tennessee,  exultant,  bears 

The  crown  a  conquering  hero  wears. 

17.  Ohio. 

Ohio  twines  with  generous  hand 
The  garlands  of  a  goodly  land. 

18.  Louisiana. 

Louisiana  counts  the  deeds 

By  duty  done  where  valor  leads. 

19.  Indiana. 

Indiana's  wreaths  are  green 

For  him  of  grave  and  gentle  mien. 

20.  Mississippi. 

Mississippi  tells  the  tale 

Of  glorious  acts  that  never  pale. 

21.  Illinois. 

Illinois  cannot  forget 

That  Washington  is  speaking  yet. 

22.  Alabama. 

Alabama's  love  is  pure 

For  him  whose  fame  shall  aye  endure. 

23.  Maine. 

Maine  comes  marching  on  as  one 
To  crown  immortal  Washington. 

24.  Missouri. 

Missouri  comes  with  gifts  of  love 
For  Washington,  all  men  above. 


108  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

25.  Arkansas. 

„    Arkansas  brings  an  offering  bright 
To  him  who  struggled  for  the  right. 

26.  Michigan. 

Michigan  with  love  is  stirred 

For  him  who  always  kept  his  word; 

27.  Florida. 

Florida  a  tribute  brings 
To  him  exalted  over  kings. 

28.  Texas. 

Texas  will  her  honor  show 

To  faithful  friend  and  generous  foe. 

29.  Iowa. 

Iowa  exalts  the  man 

Who  shaped  his  life  on  honor's  plan. 

30.  Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin  hangs  the  victor's  palm 
For  him  in  peace  of  tumult  calm. 

31.  California. 

California's  thousand  flowers 
Will  crown  this  patriot  of  ours. 

32.  Minnesota. 

Minnesota  will  revere 

The  name  that  all  the  world  holds  dear, 

33.  Oregon. 

Oregon  brings  offerings  rare 
For  him  she  holds  in  loving  care. 

34.  Kansas. 

Kansas  speaks  of  duties  done, 

Of  battles  fought  and  victories  won. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  109 

35.  West  Virginia. 

West  Virginia  will  proclaim 
The  splendors  of  a  patriot's  fame. 

36.  Nevada. 

Nevada,  from  her  mountain  height, 

Has  plucked  him  garlands  kissed  with  light. 

37.  Nebraska. 

Nebraska  brings  from  summits  high 
Immortal  blooms  that  cannot  die. 

38.  Colorado. 

Colorado  ever  true 

Will  bring  him  flowers  and  garlands,  too. 

39.  North  Dakota. 

North  Dakota  loves  him  well 
And  comes  his  valiant  deeds  to  tell. 

40.  South  Dakota. 

South  Dakota  follows  on 

To  crown  the  patriot  Washington. 

41.  Montana. 

Montana,  from  her  mountains  blue, 
Has  brought  him  love  and  honor,  too. 

42.  Washington. 

Washington  is  proud  to  claim 
The  glory  of  his  noble  name. 

43.  Idaho. 

Idaho  brings  garlands  fair 

For  him  whose  life's  beyond  compare. 

44.  Wyoming. 

Wyoming,  from  her  mountain  height, 
Would  crown  the  man  who  stood  for  right. 


110  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

45.  Utah. 

Utah  comes  with  fadeless  pine 
In  his  immortal  crown  to  shine. 

46.  Oklahoma. 

Oklahoma,  with  Indians  brave, 
Will  ever  stand  on  swelling  wave. 

Chorus  of  States. 

We  all  will  honor  Washington ; 
His  fame  will  ever  lead  us  on 
'   To  better  lives  and  nobler  deeds, 
To  guard  our  land  in  all  her  needs, 
To  keep  us  ever  kind  and  true 
To  friends,  and  home,  and  country,  too; 
In  virtue  strong  and  honor  bright, 
The  foe  of  wrong,  the  friend  for  right. 

We  all  will  honor  Washington, 
The  first  in  war  when  wrong  was  done ; 
The  first  in  peace  when  freedom  came, 
To  crown  him  with  immortal  fame; 
The  first  in  all  our  hearts  to-day, 
To  bind  us  all  as  one  for  aye, 
While  truth  and  freedom  lead  us  on, 
We  will  honor  Washington. 


RETURN  OF  THE  WASHINGTONS 


Dance:   Past  and  Present. 


Stanley  Schell. 


Characters  and  Costumes. 
Hostess  :     Black  lace  evening  gown. 
Bicycle-Girl:     Bicycle  shoes,  gown  and  cap. 
Golf-Girl:     Golf  skirt,  stockings,  shoes,  red  or  green  coat,  with 
golf-stick. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  Ill 

Doctor-Girl  :     Black  cloth  riding-habit,  high  black  silk  hat,  cane. 

Shirt-Waist  Girl  :  Gay  shirt  waist,  high  collar  and  big  flashy 
cravat,  long  trailing  skirts. 

Rainy-Day  Girl  :     Rainy-day  suit,  hat,  boots,  etc. 

Yachting-Girl:     Yachting  suit  and  cap 

Horse- Jockey  Girl  :     Long  skirt,  jockey  coat  and  cap. 

Lawyer-Girl  :     Cap  and  gown. 

Auto-Girl  :  Old-fashioned  close-fitting  satin  or  fur  bonnet,  large 
goggles,  long  fur  coat,  heavy  gloves,  heavy  shoes. 

Aeroplane-Girl  :  Heavy  worsted  crocheted  cap,  long  close-fitting 
heavy  worsted  coat,  worsted  gloves,  heavy  boots. 

Martha  Washington  :  Heavily  powdered  pompadour  hair,  fancy 
cap.  Small  black  beauty-patch  under  eye  near  temple,  another 
patch  near  left  corner  of  mouth.  Close-fitting  brocaded  basque 
pointed  front  and  back  (points  reaching  six  inches  below 
belt),  bottom  of  basque  at  belt  at  side.  White  lace  fichu 
around  neck  of  basque,  cut  low  and  tied  at  breast  center,  ends 
of  fichu  continued  to  sides  of  belt  and  fastened.  Sleeves  tight- 
fitting  at  shoulders,  gathered  five  inches  above  wrist ;  double 
ruffle  at  elbow,  and  gathered  in  middle,  half  of  ruffle  above 
and  half  below  elbow.  White  satin  or  ruffled  lace  petticoat 
exposed  whole  length  of  front  of  skirt.  Brocade  skirt  gath- 
ered all  around  belt  with  three-inch  ruffle  down  whole  length 
both  sides  of  front,  which  is  open  whole  length  to  floor,  show- 
ing front  of  petticoat.    Sides  and  back  of  gown  trail  on  floor. 

George  Washington  :  White  powdered  wig  with  queue  tied  with 
black  velvet  bow.  Snuff-colored  satin  coat,  double  breasted, 
swallow  tails  reaching  to  knee,  pointed  lapels,  high,  wide  turn- 
over collar,  green  cuffs,  lace  ruffles  at  end  of  sleeves.  Be- 
tween coat-lapels  is  high  lace  stock  with  deep  fancy  lace 
ruffles  or  jabot.  Coat  ends  in  front  four  inches  above  belt- 
line,  displaying  bottom  of  white  satin  single-breasted  vest. 
Pale-blue  satin  breeches  ending  just  below  knee  and  buttoned 
outside  of  knee.  White  satin  stockings.  Low  black  shoes 
with  large  silver  or  diamond  buckles.  Black  three-cornered 
hat.  Long  (shoulder-high)  white- wood  cane  with  fancy 
jeweled  top. 

On  stage  back  R.  and  L.  two  large  gilded  picture-frames,  five 
feet  apart,  reaching  from  floor  to  ceiling  and  large  enough  for 


112  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

man  or  woman  to  stand  in  and  look  like  painted  pictures.  Dark 
stage  wood-work.  Between  frames  is  mantel  under  old-fashioned 
looking-glass.  Below  mantel,  where  fire-place  should  be,  large 
fire-screen.  Portieres  over  entrances  R.  and  L.  side  center. 
Colonial  furniture;  tete-a-tete  sofa  near  R.  side  center. 

SCENE. 

As  curtain  rises,  Hostess  rushes  about  room,  followed  by 
Louise,  the  maid,  who  dusts  here  and  there.  In  frames  are 
George  and  Martha  Washington,  who  stand  perfectly  still  like 
real  paintings. 

Hostess  [excited].  Oh,  dear!  Oh,  dear!  What  shall  I  do? 
It  seems  as  though  everything  goes  at  sixes  and  sevens  when  I 
give  a  reception.  And  the  girls  of  to-day  are  so  different  from 
what  they  were  in  father's  day.  [Looks  at  paintings  of  George 
and  Martha  Washington.]  Now,  I  wish  these  two  lovely  peo- 
ple would  come  to  life,  and  teach  us  how  they  did  in  the  good  old 
days.  Oh,  dear !  [Turns  hastily  away.]  Here,  Louise,  take  out 
that  cloth  and  duster.  Hurry,  there's  the  door-bell!  [Louise 
rushes  out  one  door  as  "up-to-date"  girls  rush  in  at  another.] 

Girls.  How  do  you  do?  How  do  you  do?  We're  so  glad  to 
see  you. 

[Each  girl,  according  to  character  represented,  strides,  or 
whirls  golf-stick,  looks  learned,  etc.,  as  extremely  hu- 
morous as  possible.] 

Hostess.  Oh,  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you  all !  [Talks  to  each  girl 
in  turn.  Meanwhile  one  of  the  girls,  not  talked  to,  stalks  or  strides 
forward  and  tells  what  she  enjoys  doing  or  being.] 

Bicycle-Girl  [with  mannish  manners].  It  takes  me  to  find 
out  when  a  feller  is  trying  to  work  a  bluff.  Charlie  Brown  was 
so  sweet  yesterday  when  he  sat  at  table  in  that  country  inn  near 
Riverside.  I  bluffed  him  off,  just  as  I  did  the  others.  Oh,  bicy- 
cling is  such  fun !  [Bends  over,  as  if  riding  wheel  and  moves 
handle-bars.    Moves  back  and  acts  as  if  talking  to  other  girls.] 

Golf-Girl.    Ah,  dearie  me,  that  caddie  wearied  us  to-day,  but 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  113 

you  ought  to  have  seen  me  putting !  My !  Oh !  No  one  gets  a 
show  where  I  am.     [Pantomimes  playing  golf.'] 

Doctor-Girl  [adjusting  eye-glasses  and  looking  learned].    Oh, 

my !    I  really,  really  think  Mrs.  Jones  has  the  pip — pip Oh, 

no,  no,  what  am  I  thinking  about  ? — pip ! — who  ever  heard  of  a 
woman  having  pip?— still  that  is  not  bad.  I  think,  however,  I'll 
give  her  "aqua  fortes" — "fortes" — dear  me,  well,  I'm  weak  in  my 
Latin,  but  people  might  not  know  the  difference  and  it's  so  learned 
to  talk  in  Latin.  [Strides  about  stage  and  raises  glasses  to  eyes, 
looking  around.] 

Shirt- Waist  Girl.  I  say,  Nell !  You  can  just  bet  on  me. 
I'm  the  girl  up-to-date.  [Puts  hands  into  side-pockets  in  shirt  and 
struts  about.] 

Rainy-Day  Girl.  You  may  talk  all  you  like  about  up-to-date, 
but  you  are  certainly  behind  me  in  style.  You  know  the  rainy 
daisies  are  the  newest  things.  [Whirls  rapidly  around  and  steps 
back.] 

Yachting-Girl.  Oh,  you  Nell,  I'm  ahead  of  you  after  all,  for 
you  know  the  yachting-girl  is  the  best  of  all,  for  [^w^]  "We  sail 
the  ocean  blue,  our  gallant  yacht's  a  beauty."  [Rolls  back  and 
forward  and  from  side  to  side  as  if  on  yacht.] 

Horse- Jockey  Girl  [zvhistles] .  You  girls  make  me  tired.  I'm 
the  swellest  thing,-  you  see — whoa,  there,  go  long,  whoa,  horsey, 
see  dat !  Hurray  !  I'm  the  winner.  [Pantomimes  driving  horse.1] 
,  Lawyer-Girl.  You're  not  in  it,  this  time.  I'm  just  out.  A 
lawyer.  [Poses  as  if  addressing  judge  and  jury.]  Your  Honor 
and  Gentlemen  of  the  Jury,  my  client  has  been  cruelly  treated  by 
him,  the  man  she  calls  husband.  [Adjusts  eye-glasses  and  looks 
over  them  at  imaginary  man  in  scornful  manner.] 

Auto-Girl.  I  can  lay  more  claim  to  speed  and  knowledge  than 
any  of  you.  I  can  get  anywhere  in  the  shortest  time.  [Panto- 
mimes getting  ready  to  start  auto,  then  starting  and  going.] 

Aeroplane-Girl.  You're  not  in  it,  dear,  with  me.  I'm  the 
newest  thing  you  see,  and  the  swiftest,  and  the  highest,  and  the 
flyest.    I  cover  more  space  in  a  short  time  than  any  human  being 


114  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

can  possibly  cover  in  any  other  way.     I'm  a  bird.     [Bell  suddenly 
chimes.  ] 

Hostess.    There,  there,  it's  twelve  o'clock;  why,  what's  that? 

[All  turn  and  look  tozvard  pictures  of  George  and  Martha 
Washington.  As  they  look,  pictures  move  from 
frames,  and  step  directly  and  slowly  forward.  Minuet 
is  played.  Hostess  and  guests  look  frightened.  George 
and  Martha  clasp  hands,  bow  low  to  hostess  and 
guests.    George  speaks.] 

George.  My  dear  Madam  [bows  low],  it  is  our  pleasure  to  join 
you  to-night  a  little  while  to  see  what  people  are  now  doing  in  a 
social  way.  We  have  heard  that  present-day  people  are  much 
more  advanced,  particularly  in  dancing.  It  would  afford  us  much 
pleasure  to  see  you  dance. 

Hostess.  Dear  George  Washington  and  Mrs.  Washington,  we 
feel  honored  by  your  presence  and  we  beg  of  you  [looks  at  guests, 
who  nod],  that  you  lead  in  dancing.  Show  us  the  way  you  danced 
in  the  good  dear  old  days  that  my  honored  father  talked  about  so 
often.    Then  my  guests  will  dance  for  you  the  very  latest  dance. 

George.  My  dear  Madam,  we  shall  be  pleased  to  dance  for  you, 
but  we  fear  you  will  not  care  for  our  old-fashioned  ways.  [Minuet 
is  played.    George  and  Martha  dance;  others  look  on  delighted.] 

[At  finish  of  dance  music  changes,  while  young  people  and 
Hostess  clap  heartily.  Martha  and  George  look  at 
each  other  startled,  then  sit  on  sofa.  Modern  music  is 
played,  and  changes  for  different  dances.  Girls  suing 
off  first  two-step,  then  polka,  then  gallop,  then  waits, 
then  Virginia  Reel,  George  and  Martha  looking  on 
surprised.  When  reel  is  finished,  girls  rush  forzvard  and 
ask  hozv  they  like  up-to-date  dances.  George  and 
Martha  rise  and  look  first  at  guests  and  Hostess  and 
then  at  each  other;  Martha  speaks.] 

Martha.  My  dears,  I  fear,  if  the  dancing  you  have  just  done 
is  up-to-date,  we  much  prefer  [looks  at  George,  who  bozvs]  our 
old-fashioned  dance, 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  115 

[Bell  chimes,  Martha  and  George  courtesy  low,  back  slow- 
ly together,  then  take  positions  in  frames  to  soft  minuet 
music.  While  they  are  doing  this,  Hostess  and  guests 
look  sorrowfully  at  their  departure.  When  George  and 
Martha  are  in  position,  Hostess  turns  to  guests.] 

Hostess.  Girls,  I  know  they  are  right,  your  dancing  after  that 
dainty,  delightful  minuet,  was  hoydenish.  I,  for  one,  prefer  the 
old-fashioned 

Guests.    And  I  too. 

curtain. 


WASHINGTON  AND  HIS  FRIENDS. 


Olive  E.  Dana. 


Directions  :  On  walls  of  stage  are  pictures  of  men  to  be  men- 
tioned, placing  Washington  at  stage  back  center.  After  fin- 
ishing a  speech,  person  speaking  places  wreath  over  one  cor- 
ner of  picture  of  person  he  has  been  speaking  about. 

Singing:    "Ode  to  Washington."    Music  by  Benjamin  B.  Davis. 

[See  page  75.] 

Recitation  :     "Washington" Hezekiah  Butterworth 

[See  page  48.] 

Speech  1 : 

The  tendency  of  greatness  is  towards  isolation.  The  great  man 
seeks  to  stand  apart  from  his  contemporaries,  as  well  as  to  tower 
above  them.  This  is  especially  the  case  when  we  look  backward 
to  Washington  and  to  his  time.  The  years,  which  have  seemed  to 
dwarf  all  lesser  men,  only  bring  his  figure  into  nobler  relief.  But 
this,  which  very  often  is  true  of  our  heroes,  is  sometimes  mistaken 
for  the  fact  when  the  reality  is  quite  otherwise.  For,  as  we  look 
at  our  hero  more  closely,  we  shall  often  find  that  he  did  not  work 
alone — that  there  were  associated  with  him  men  of  purpose  and 
temper  akin  to  his  own,  who  shared  his  valor  and  his  patriotism, 
if  not  the  supreme  quality  of  his  genius  or  self-devotion.  This  is 
preeminently  true  of  Washington,  and  it  is,  indeed,  one  of  the 


116  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

measures  of  his  greatness.  He  stands  forth  in  colossal  propor- 
tions among  men  who,  in  less  strenuous  times,  would  themselves 
have  been  accounted  leaders  and  heroes.  Thinkers,  patriots,  lovers 
of  their  country  and  of -their  kind  they  were;  men  of  rare  insight 
and  prevision;  careful  and  sagacious,  yet  daring  and  resourceful; 
ready  and  unerring  in  the  application  of  great  principles  to  im- 
mediate needs  and  practical  uses.  It  is  fitting  that  their  names 
should  be  remembered,  and  their  work  recalled,  when  we  celebrate 
the  birthday  of  Washington,  for  they  shared  with  him  the  task, 
the  burden,  the  high  and  enduring  honor  of  shaping  our  republic ; 
of  achieving  its  freedom,  of  establishing  the  charter  of  its  liberties, 
of  formulating  its  fundamental  laws ;  and  especially  of  defending 
and  interpreting  those  principles  of  justice  and  equality  of  which 
it  is  so  signal  an  incorporation. 

Singing:    "Welcome  to  Washington's  Birthday." 

[See   page    118] 

Speech  2: 

To  include  even  those  whose  service  seems  most  indispensable, 
we  must  go  back  to  near  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
and  recall  the  men  who  first  fanned  the  first  slow  fires  of  liberty, 
and  who  lighted  the  first  flickering  torches  of  resistance  for  the 
long,  toilsome  journey  toward  independence.  These  men  were  the 
vanguard  of  freedom,  nor  is  it  easy  to  see  how  the  hope  and  the 
passion  of  liberty  could  have  been  kept  alive  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  without  the  example  and  exhortation  of  such  patriots  as 
these  men  were.  It  was  because  the  common  people  had  become 
one  in  their  conscientious  resistance  to  oppression,  in  their  intol- 
erance of  tyranny,  in  their  purpose  of  realizing  the  republic  their 
forefathers  had  founded,  and  of  preserving  for  their  children  a 
nobler  heritage  than  their  own,  that  the  "embattled  farmers"  could 
so  quickly  be  rallied  at  Concord,  that  the  Virginian  commonwealth 
lavished  its  substance  and  pledged  its  strength,  and  that  the  valor 
of  Yorktown  and  the  endurance  of  Trenton  were  made  inevitable. 
The  career  of  Washington  is  familiar  to  us  all.    His  very  virtues, 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  117 

lustrous  as  they  are,  are  well-nigh  in  danger  of  becoming  meaning- 
less and  trite  in  the  repetition,  albeit  he  has  given  to  the  world 
one  of  its  noblest,  loftiest  ideals  of  valor,  of  patriotism,  of  self- 
mastery,  of  honor,  of  invincible  purpose,  and  of  consecration  of 
high  ends,  which  its  crowded  annals,  antique  or  modern,  can  show 
us.  But  it  may  well  be  that  these  co-workers  of  his  will  help  us 
to  better  appreciate  the  greatness  of  his  task,  the  severity  of  the 
crisis  he  seems  divinely  commissioned  to  meet,  and  the  splendid 
supremacy  of  his  personality. 

Speech  3 : 

We  will  summon  James  Otis,  the  Father  of  the  Revolution,  one 
of  the  most  ardent  pioneers  of  independence,  and  one  of  the  earliest 
to  suffer  in  its  behalf.  He  was  born  in  1725,  was  a  Boston  lawyer 
of  marked  ability  and  early  distinction,  an  ardent  patriot,  and  a 
fearless  protestant  against  the  growing  wrongs  of  the  colonists. 
He  made  a  notable  speech  in  denunciation  of  the  "Writs  of  Assist- 
ance" in  1761,  and  was  equally  impetuous  in  his  condemnation  of 
the  Stamp  Act.  His  pen,  too,  which  was  virile  and  busy,  did 
excellent  service.  It  was  for  this  that  he  suffered  assault  in  1769, 
anticipating  the  sacrifices  of  his  compatriots  in  the  struggle  he  had 
so  nobly  induced. 

[See   page   177.] 

Speech  4: 

We  cannot  forget  the  gallant  young  Virginian,  Patrick  Henry, 
the  foremost  orator  of  his  times,  first  speaker  of  the  Continental 
congress,  and  captivating  all  hearts  by  his  vehement  and  eloquent 
protest  against  the  Stamp  Act.  He  was  born  in  1736,  and  died  in 
the  same  year  with  that  greater  Virginian,  George  Washington. 
His  service  to  his  own  commonwealth  constitutes  a  not  inconsider- 
able part  of  his  public  work,  and  the  things  he  did  not  do  only 
prove  how  thorough  was  his  disinterestedness,  and  how  sincere 
his  devotion  to  what  he  believed  the  true  course  and  ideal  for  the 
nation.  The  name  of  Patrick  Henry  is  a  synonym  for  youthful 
patriotism,  and  men  have  not  ceased  to  thrill  at  the  repetition  of 
his  burning  words. 


118 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

WELCOME    TO    WASHINGTON'S    BIRTHDAY. 


cr 

i.  Wel-come     to     the  day      re  -  turn  •>  ing,    Dear-er  still     as         a    -    ges  flow; 

2.  Hear    the     tale     of  youth  -  ful     glo  •  ry,     While  of  Britain's  res  -  cued  band, 

3.  Look!  the     shad-ow  on      the      di   -  al       Marks  the  hour   of  dead  -  lier  strife; 

4.  Vain      is      em-pire's  mad  temp  -  ta      tion!    Not    for  him    an  earth  -  ly  crown! 

5.  "  By     the     name  that  you      in  .  her  -   it,         By     the     suf-f 'rings  you        re  -  call, 

6.  Fa  -  ther  1    we  whose  ears    have    tin  -  gled    With  the     dis  -  cord  notes      of  shame,- 


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~* * — * — * — *~ 

While  the    torch    of      faith     is     burn  -  ing,    Long      as     free  -  dom's    al    -  tars  glow  I 

Friend  and     foe      re   -  peat    the      sto    -  ry,    Spread  his    fame    o'er      sea  and  land, 

Days     .of      ter  -  ror,    years    of       tri    •    al,  Scourge    a       na  -   tion      in     -  to    life. 

He    whose  sword  has     freed     a       na   •    tion   Strikes  the      of  -  fered  seep    -  tre  down. 

Cher  -  ish     the      fra   •    ter  -  nal     spir   -   it ;    Love   your    coun  -  try     first  of    all ! 


si 


We,  "whose  sires   their    blood  have    min  -  gled      In 
J         J         J         j 


the     bat  -  tie's    thun    -   der  flame, — 


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Where  the     red  cross    fond  -  ly        stream-ing,   Flaps    a     ■ 
Lo,     the  youth  be  -  came    her       lead  -  er!     All      her 
See    the  throne-less     con  -   queror  seat  -  ed,     Rul  -  er 
i    -    die        ques-tions     If       its 
ho  -  ly         morn  -  ing    Lights  the 


on  a  moth-er's 
bove  the  frig  -  ate's 
baf  -  fled       ty  -  rants 


Lis  -  ten     not    to 
Gath-'ring  while  this 


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bands  may 


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For    the  arm    he 

Where  the  gold  •  en 

Through  his  arm    the 

See    the      pa  -  triot's 

Doubt  the      pa  -  triot 

Hear  thy  coun-sel, 


stretched  to    save      us,         Be      its    morn   for  • 

lil  -  ies,  gleam  -  ing,  Star    the  watchtow'rs 

Lord  hath  freed     her ;  Crown  him    on     the 

task  com-plet  -  ed ;  Hear  the       fa-ther's 

whose  sug-  ges   -    tions  Strive    a       na  -  tion 

heed    thy  warn  -  ing;  Trust  us,    while  we 


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r 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  119 

Address  :    "Give  Me  Liberty  or  Give  Me  Death" .  .  Patrick  Henry. 

[See   page   179.]  _ 

Speech  5 : 

By  his  side  in  our  Revolutionary  Valhalla,  hangs  the  portrait 
of  his  brother-patriot  of  Massachusetts — Samuel  Adams.  He  was 
born  in  Boston  in  1722,  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  1740,  and 
on  receiving  his  higher  degree  from  that  college  three  years  later, 
argued  that  it  was  "lawful  to  resist  the  supreme  magistrate  if  the 
commonwealth  cannot  otherwise  be  preserved."  It  was  he  to 
whom  belongs  the  honor  of  proposing,  in  the  general  court  of 
Massachusetts,  the  summoning  of  the  first  Continental  congress. 

Speech  6: 

Nor  may  we  omit  the  mention  of  his  friend,  John  Hancock, 
whose  portrait  Copley  painted.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the 
State  of  Massachusetts. 

Tableaux:     Characters   (properly  costumed)   already  spoken  of 
should  pass  slowly  across  stage. 

Sfeech  7: 

We  come  now  to  the  men  who  shared  with  Washington  the 
vicissitudes  of  war;  who  were  his  companions  in  danger,  his  sup- 
porters in  peril;  who  bore  with  him,  in  their  measure,  the  perils 
of  battles  and  the  responsibilities  of  command.  The  time  is  in- 
sufficient for  even  the  enumeration  of  these  heroes  of  Bunker  Hill 
and  of  Yorktown,  of  Trenton  and  of  Valley  Forge.  They  were 
men  who  needed  not  to  be  coaxed  or  praised,  flattered  or  reassured. 
They  might  be  spoken  to  as  men  and  soldiers,  and  it  was  as  such, 
with  a  gravity  that  declares  both  his  temper  and  their  own,  that 
he  addressed  them. 

Address  :    Washington's  Address  to  His  Troops Washington 

[See    page    1S1.] 

Singing  :    "Hail,  Starry  Flag" By  the  School 

[Words    and   music   in    "Flag-Day   Program"    (35c).   ] 

Speech  8: 
To  some  of  them  were  entrusted  responsibilities  of  leadership 


120  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

and  strategy  that  forbid  us  to  quite  lose  sight  of  the  men  who  bore 
them.  There  are  Ethan  Allen  and  John  Stark,  Anthony  Wayne 
and  Francis  Marion;  there  are  Richard  Montgomery  and  Horatio 
Gates  and  Nathaniel  Greene.  And  here  is  the  gallant  young  captain 
Paul  Jones.  It  was  he  who  first  hoisted  the  American  flag  over  an 
American  warship ;  and  it  was  he  who  received  the  first  salute  ever 
paid  our  ensign  by  a  foreign  man-of-war.  While  it  is  equally 
impossible  to  lose  sight  of  the  picturesque  Lafayette,  the  young 
nobleman  who  so  freely,  for  freedom's  sake,  pledged  his  service 
to  an  uncertain  cause.  He  came  to  America  in  1777  to  take  part 
with  the  Colonists  in  their  war  of  independence.  The  friendship 
of  Washington  exercised  a  great  influence  over  the  development 
of  his  mind  and  the  formation  of  his  opinions.  The  declaration 
of  war  between  France  and  Great  Britain  gave  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  aiding  the  new  Republic  effectually. 

Speech  9: 

And  now  we  come  to  a  group  of  grave  and  thoughtful  men  who 
stood  near  to  Washington  through  many  troublous  years;  who 
composed  the  national  councils;  who  were  the  helpers  and  the 
friends  of  the  president  his  life  long.  Their  work  may  seem  less, 
brilliant  and  striking,  but  it  is  certainly  not  less  indispensable. 
With  them  Washington  shares  the  unique  and  high  honor  of 
moulding  the  new  republic,  of  directing  its  earliest  advances,  of 
interpreting  its  foundation  principles.  Here  is  Benjamin  Franklin, 
one  of  the  most  striking  figures  in  our  whole  history.  The  notable 
and  varied  service  he  rendered  to  his  countrymen  has  often  ob- 
scured the  loyal  aid  he  gave  his  country  in  her  every  need,  but  it 
was  not  less  invaluable.  We  may  not  forget  that  he  was  the 
pioneer  of  American  science ;  that  the  key  with  which  he  unlocked 
the  secret  of  the  clouds  was  the  key  to  all  the  treasures  of  modern 
electricity,  and  has  opened  the  door  to  its  myriad  applications.  We 
ought  .not  to  leave  out  of  the  account  his  truly  American  thrift 
and  ambition,  nor  the  wholesome  influence  of  his  example  and 
counsels  on  his  contemporaries,  and  even  on  their  descendants. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  121 

We  must  not  forget  that  he  was  the  projector  of  our  mail  sys- 
tem. But  any  or  all  of  these,  we  can  but  believe,  might  better 
have  been  spared  or  deferred,  than  that  we  had  lost  his  influence 
in  the  Continental  congress  and  among  the  people  at  large;  his 
distinguished  diplomatic  service,  his  part  in  obtaining  the  treaty 
with  France  in  1788,  and  in  securing  that  of  1783  as  well.  His 
eminently  useful  life  fell  between  the  years  1706-  and  1790.  He 
was  a  signer  both  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  of  the 
Constitution,  and  he  was  ever  a  friend  of  popular  education. 

Speech  10: 

We  must  not  omit  Robert  Morris,  a  name  less  familiar,  who,  a 
friend  of  Washington,  when  the  latter  wrote  him  of  the  straits  to 
which  he  and  his  heroic  army  had  become  reduced,  late  in  the  dark 
year  of  1776,  hurried  from  door  to  door,  in  the  dawn  of  the  New 
Year's  morning,  and  obtained  from  his  friends  a  loan  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  relieve  the  necessities  of  the  American  army, 
and  to  reinstate  their  commander  in  their  now  sorely-tried  confi- 
dence. 

Speech  11 : 

We  shall  not  overlook  John  Adams,  second  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  many  respects  so  like  Washington  that  his 
administration  seems  like  a  continuation  of  that  of  our  first  chief 
magistrate.  His  work,  however,  had  begun  much  earlier.  He  was 
born  in  1722,  and  was  a  man  of  ability  so  marked  that  special 
efforts  were  put  forth  to  win  him  to  the  side  of  the  loyalists,  but 
without  avail.  He  was  a  member  also  of  the  first  Congress,  and 
for  a  term  of  years  was  in  the  diplomatic  service  abroad.  After- 
wards he  became  one  of  the  earliest  leaders  of  the  Federalists. 

Speech  12: 

After  him  we  recall  the  name  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  whose 
influence  in  obtaining  the  popular  support  of  the  Constitution,  and 
whose  sagacity  in  forecasting  the  establishing  of  the  financial 
policy  of  the  new  government,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  overestimate. 


122  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

And  the  name,  too,  of  the  framer  of  the  Constitution,  James  Madi- 
son, the  fourth  President.  And,  not  less  preeminent,  the  unique 
and  enduring  work  of  John  Marshall,  chief  justice  of  the  United 
States  from  1800  to  1835,  to  whom,  more  really  than  to  any  other, 
belongs  the  title  of  the  Interpreter  of  the  Constitution.  There  are 
many  others  who  might  be  named,  but  one  striking  personality 
remains,  whose  influence  surely  cannot  be  forgotten  in  any  re- 
capitulation of  the  forces  which  have  made  our  government  what 
it  is.  Thomas.  Jefferson,  who  wrote  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, and  whose  principles  were  so  precious  to  him,  was  a 
quite  unique  and  indispensable  factor  in  the  establishment  of  these 
truths  and  kindred  ones  in  our  law  and  practice.  He  was  born  in 
1755,  was  a  person  of  much  and  varied  ability,  and  in  his  own 
life  conformed  strictly  to  the  austere  and  equalizing  principles 
which,  he  believed,  should  be  observed  in  a  country  like  our  own. 
He  was  our  third  President,  and  the  first  whose  inauguration  sig- 
nified a  change  of  party,  but  the  transference  was  effected  with 
remarkable  ease.  It  was  during  his  administration  that  the  area 
of  the  United  States  was  more  than  doubled  by  the  acquisition 
of  the  Louisiana  Territory.  His  magistracy,  like  all  his  life,  was 
characterized  by  great  plainness  and  simplicity.  To  this  day  the 
name  of  Jefferson  is  regarded  as  synonymous  with  the  principles 
of  true  equality  and  justice. 

Speech  14: 

It  is  among  these  men  and  such  as  these  that  Washington  stands, 
his  preemiaence  becoming  only  more  eminent  by  reason  of  the 
eminence  of  their  character,  attainments,  and  patriotic  service. 
Without  his,  we  must  believe  that  their  efforts  would  have  been 
of  little  avail.  To  their  several  endeavors  he  gave  direction,  unity 
and  effectiveness.  It  was  his  judgment  that  constituted,  in  all 
their  councils,  the  final  appeal.  His  fame  must  remain  as  high 
above  theirs  as  theirs  transcends  that  of  ordinary  men.  His  story 
is  one  with  that  of  our  nation  itself,  and  his  character  is  an  ideal 
of  honor  and  of  courage,  of  self-mastery  and  patriotism.    He  was, 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  123 

indeed,  "a  calm,  straightforward  man — the  most  suitable  instru- 
ment of  the  national  life  at  every  moment  of  crisis — a  great 
American." 

Singing:     "America." 

[Words  and  music  in   "Flag-Day  Program"    (35c.).] 


TABLEAUX  VIVANTS  AND  SCENES  FROM  LIFE  OF 
WASHINGTON. 


Stanley  Schell. 


SCENE  I.— CHERRY-TREE. 

Characters:  Mr.  Washington,  George's  father  (large  boy), 
George  Washington  (small  boy). 

Costumes:  Mr.  Washington,  in  satin  Continental  costume, 
cocked  hat,  gray  wig,  large  cane,  black  silk  stockings,  black 
patent-leather  pumps,  with  big  buckles.  George  in  same  cos- 
tume as  father,  but  right  fit. 

Music  :    "America." 

[Use  "America."     Words  and  music  in  "Flag-Day  Program"    (35c.).'] 

Scene:  Orchard,  fallen  cheery-tree  in  foreground.  As  curtain 
rises  Mr.  Washington  walks  about  orchard  admiring  trees. 
Suddenly  he  discovers  fallen  tree;  steps  quickly  forward, 
looks  at  tree,  his  face  taking  on  severe  frown,  thumps  cane 
on  ground. 

Mr.  Washington  [in  tones  of  thunder].  Who  has  dared  to 
cut  down  my  favorite  cherry-tree?  Who  has  dared?  [Thumps 
cane  on  ground.  Puts  top,  of  cane  against  nose  as  if  thinking.] 
I  reckon  I  know  who  did  it.  It  looks  like  his  work.  I  wonder 
if  he  has  done  any  more  mischief?  [Walks  about  stage  looking 
at  different  trees.  Whistling  is  heard.']  Ah,  here  comes  the  little 
mischief.  [George  skips  in  swinging  hatchet.  Acts  as  if  looking 
for  something  more  to  cut.  Suddenly  he  discovers  father,  and 
stops  short.] 


124  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

George.    Good  morning,  sir. 

Mr.  Washington.  Good  morning,  lad.  Do  you  see  that  tree? 
Who  has  cut  down  my  favorite  tree?  Did  you  do  it?  [George 
hangs  head  in  shame.]  Come  here,  my  lad,  come  here.  [George 
approaches,  swinging  hatchet  behind  him.]  Did  you  cut  that  tree? 
[Raps  cane  hard  on  ground.  George  puts  finger  into  mouth  and 
looks  down  in  shame.']  My  boy,  do  not  deceive  me.  If  you  have 
cut  down  my  tree,  say  so.  Better  own  up  and  take  your  punish- 
ment like  a  man. 

George  [shows  distress,  brings  hatchet  into  viezv,  looks  at  it  for 
a  moment,  straightens  in  manly  zvay].  Father,  I  cannot  tell  a  lie, 
I  did  it  with  my  little  hatchet. 

Mr.  Washington.  Noble  boy,  come  to  my  arms !  I  had  rather 
you  had  cut  down  all  my  cherry-trees  than  that  you  tell  one  lie. 
[Catches  George  in  arms  and  hugs  him.  Hatchet  falls  to  ground. 
Curtain  falls.] 

SCENE  II.— DELAWARE  RIVER. 

Characters:    George  Washington,  commander,  and  Soldiers. 
Costumes:     Continental  Commander.     Continental  Soldiers. 
Music  :    "Yankee  Doodle." 

[Words    and   music    in    "Flag-Day    Program"    (35c).   ] 

Scene  :  Marine  background  with  angry  waves  (blue  muslin)  on 
which  is  boat.  Foreground  also  has  waves,  but  less  angry. 
Curtain  rises  on  Washington,  tall,  straight  and  steady,  in 
prow  of  boat  looking  across  river;  arms  folded;  wears  long 
cloak,  high-top  boots,  turned-up  hat,  sword.  Above  him  wav- 
ing flag.  Soldiers,  sometimes  gazing  at  water  and  sometimes 
ahead,  row  vigorously. 

Music :     "See,  the  Conquering  Hero  Comes." 

[Words  and  music   in    "Flag-Day  Program"    (35c.).] 

SCENE  III.— VALLEY  FORGE. 

Characters:    George  Washington,  commander,  and  Soldiers. 
Costumes  :    Washington  in  cloak  and  top  boots.     Soldiers  very 
ragged. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  125 

Music :    "Hold  the  Fort." 

Scene:  Winter  encampment  background.  Foreground  left, 
shabby-looking  tent,  flap  fastened  back,  opening  toward  audi- 
ence. Log  on  floor  and  three-legged  stand  holding  lighted 
candle  stuck  in  bottle.  Foreground  covered  with  snow  (bits 
of  cotton).  On  rise  of  curtain  Washington  sits  on  log  in 
tent,  map  spread  on  knees,  trying  to;  solve  his  difficulties. 
Outside  tent  are  ragged  soldiers  lying  on  ground,  some  in 
torn  blankets,  others  without  blankets,  and  with  heads  ban- 
daged, arms  in  slings,  some  barefooted,  others  with  make- 
shifts for  shoes.  Wind  howls.  Sleeping  men  huddle  down 
and  shiver.  Solitary  sentinel,  feet  showing,  bloody  and 
ragged  clothes,  carrying  musket,  marches  to  and  fro,  bravely 
enduring  suffering,  watching  out  carefully. 

SCENE  IV— SURRENDER  OF  CORNWALLIS. 

Characters:  Washington,  Lafayette,  Rochambeau,  Corn- 
wallis,  American  soldiers  and  British  soldiers. 

Costumes  :  Washington  and  American  soldiers  in  Continental 
soldier  costumes;  Cornwallis  and  army  in  British  soldier 
costumes;  Lafayette,  that  of  French  army  commander; 
Rochambeau,  that  of  French  naval  commander. 

Music  :    "Yankee  Doodle,"  "Star-Spangled  Banner." 

[Words   and   music    of   both   songs   in    "Flag-Day   Program"    (35c.).] 

Scene  :  Background  of  two  armies.  British  L.,  American  R., 
well  back ;  wide  space  between  armies.  Behind  armies,  houses 
and  hills.  Each  army  has  its  own  flags.  Curtain  rises  on 
tableau  right  side  center.  Washington  stands  with  extended 
hand,  behind  him  Lafayette,  Rochambeau  and  other  aides. 
Facing  him  at  stage  center  is  Cornwallis  with  hat  in  hand 
and  surrendering  sword.  Behind  Cornwallis,  and  nearer 
stage  left  front,  stand  two  of  Cornwallis's  aides  with  up- 
lifted hats;  behind  them  flag-bearer  with  British  flag  furled 
and  uplifted.  Behind  them,  at  stage  left  front  corner,  appears 
some  of  the  band  wearing  tall  fur  hats,  with  backs  toward 
audience,  but  with  eyes  on  Washington,  and  drums  in  posi- 
tion ready  for  playing. 

SCENE  V.— AT  TRENTON. 

Characters  :    Washington,  attendants,  and  children. 


126  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Costumes:    Washington  and  generals  in  black  satin  costumes. 

Children    in    white    Colonial    dresses,    carrying    baskets    of 

flowers. 
Music :    "See,  the  Conquering  Hero  Comes." 

[Words  and  music  in  "Flag-Day  Program"    (35c.).] 

Scene  :  Country  background  with  house  at  left  back  corner.  Arch 
at  stage  center,  going  back  obliquely  to  right  back  corner. 
Arch  covered  with  flowers.  At  front  of  arch  high  up  motto : 
"The  Defender  of  the  Mothers  Will  be  the  Preserver  of  the 
Daughters."  Foreground  immediately  in  front  of  arch  is 
covered  with  flowers.  Curtain  rises  on  Washington  stand- 
ing at  center  of  arch  bowing  and  smiling.  His  generals  are 
behind  him  also  smiling.  At  right  and  left  sides  of  stage 
stand  rows  of  happy  children.  Rows  run  parallel  with  sides 
of  stage  and  begin  back  of  each  side  of  arch.  Some  children 
wave  hands  and  others  throw  roses  and  other  flowers  on 
ground  over  which  Washington  must  go. 

Singing  :    "Welcome,  Mighty  Chief" By  the  Children. 

[Tune  :    "America."] 

Welcome,  mighty  chief,  once  more, 
Welcome  to  this  happy  shore ; 
Now  no  mercenary  foe 
Aims  again  the  fatal  blow, — 
Aims  at  thee  the  fatal  blow. 

Virgins  fair  and  matrons  grave, 
Those  thy  conquering  arm  did  save, 
Build  for  thee  triumphal  bowers; 
Strew,  ye  fair,  his  way  with  flowers, — 
Strew  your  hero's  way  with  flowers. 

[Children  strezv  flowers  on  path  at  feet  of  Washington 
who  lifts  and  kisses  a  little  girl.    Curtain  falls.] 

SCENE  VI.— FIRST  INAUGURAL. 

Characters:     George   Washington,   Martha   Washington, 

and  any  number  of  men  and  women. 
Costumes:    Colonial  costumes.     Women:  Hair,  high  pompadour, 

powdered,  curls  at  neck,  and  bejewelled  or  high  plumes.  Wat- 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  127 

teau  back,  long-  train,  surplice  effect  at  neck  and  front; 
open  over  fancy  petticoat.  Elbow  sleeves  and  deep  ruffles. 
Men:  Black  breeches,  waistcoat  faced  with  gay  satin  and  lace 
at  sleeves,  light  silk  stockings,  low  shoes  with  big  buckles; 
watch- fob ;  white  satin  single-breasted  vest ;  stock  at  neck ; 
sword ;  hair  white-  and  in  cue ;  three-cornered  hat  at  chest. 
Washington's  costume  is  coat  and  breeches  of  plain  black 
velvet,  white  or  pearl-covered  satin-embroidered  waistcoat, 
black  stockings,  silver  buckles  at  knees,  low  shoes  with  large 
silver  buckles,  white  or  buff  gloves,  long  sword  in  scabbard 
of  polished  white  leather,  worn  under  coat.  Carries  cocked 
hat  in  hand. 

Music:    'The  Minuet." 

Scene  :  Ball-room.  Platform  at  right  front.  Candles  at  side  of 
room  in  many-branched  holders.  Curtain  rises  on  Washing- 
ton at  stage  center  dancing  minuet  with  a  lady.  Hands  are 
joined  and  raised  between  them,  Washington's  left  foot  is 
forward  and  resting  on  toe.  Holds  hat  in  right  hand  some- 
what out,  other  hand  uplifted.  Lady  has  left  hand  uplifted, 
and  right  hand  down  holding  skirt  slightly  out  while  left  foot 
is  pointed  out  toward  Washington.  She  looks  at  Washing- 
ton. Around  sides  of  room  are  other  guests,  looking  on  or 
laughing  and  talking.  On  platform  is  Martha  Washing- 
ton, fanning  quietly,  conversing  with  several  ladies.  Music 
plays  awhile,  then  with  Washington  and  lady  as  center 
group,  and  several  guests  as  side  groups,  minuet  is  danced, 
others  looking  on  smiling  or  tapping  feet  in  unison. 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON  SUPPER  PARTY. 


Invitations  :  Limited  to  thirteen.  Hostess  makes  the  four- 
teenth. 

Costumes  :  Hostess,  as  Goddess  of  Liberty.  Thirteen  guests 
in  Colonial  costumes,  decorated  with  ribbons  suitable  to  occasion. 

Directions  :  Guests,  entering  drawing-room,  each  receive  a 
card  on  which  is  written  a  sentence  representing  name  of  State 
guest  is  asked  to  guess. 

Room  Decorations  :  American  Flags  and  pictures  of  George 
and  Martha  Washington. 


128  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Card  Sentences. 

"The  Granite  State." — New  Hampshire. 

"The  Bay  State." — Massachusetts. 

"The  Nutmeg-  State." — Connecticut. 

"Little  Rhody."— Rhode  Island. 

"The  Empire  State."— New  York. 

"The  Razor-back  State." — New  Jersey. 

"The  Keystone  State." — Pennsylvania. 

"The  Blue  Hen  State." — Delaware. 

"The  Line  State."— Maryland. 

"The  Old  Dominion  State." — Virginia. 

"The  Tar  State."— North  Carolina. 

"The  Palmetto  State." — South  Carolina. 

"The  Cracker  State." — Georgia. 
Supper  is  served  after  names  have  been  guessed. 

Table  Decorations. 
On  center  of  table  is  jar  holding  green  plant  on  which  are 
candied  cherries  fastened  with  fine  wires.  Cherry-shaped  leaves, 
cut  out  of  tissue  paper  and  pasted  on  edge  of  white  paper  mats, 
small  enough  to  be  covered  by  base  of  candle-sticks  or  of  fairy 
lamps,  placed  on  them.  Cherry-colored  lamp-shades.  On  differ- 
ent parts  of  table  are  bunches  of  crackers  tied  with  cherry-colored 
ribbon  on  little  plates.  Card  on  which  is  written  question  suitable 
to  occasion  is  inside  of  every  napkin. 

Sample  Questions. 

"In   what   order   were   the   thirteen    States   received   into   the 
Union?" 

"In  what  year  was  Washington  born?" 

"Where  is  the  cradle  of  Liberty?" 

Likewise  the  dishes  are  to  suggest  the  occasion, 

Supper  Favors. 
Card-board  hatchets  with  long  handles  (about  ten  inches  long). 
One  side  of  blade  is  painted  silver-color  about  an  inch  up,  and 
bright  red  rest  of  the  way.  Print  on  handle,  in  full,  name  of  State 
represented  by  guest  sitting  in  that  place.  On  reverse  side  print 
menu. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  129 

Suggestive  Menu. 

"O  Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean." — Oysters. 

"Fourth  of  July  Delights." — Crackers. 

"Croquettes  de  l'American  Eagle." — Chicken. 

"O  for  Peace." — Peas. 
"General  Green  Salad." — Lettuce  and  Celery. 

"Lafayette  Dressing." — French  dressing. 

"Revolutionary  Cannon  Balls." — Cheese  balls. 

"American  Ice." — Lemon  ice  covered  with  cherries. 

"Washington-Pie."  "Liberty  Cake." 

"Old  Government  Java." 

Before  being  served,  guests  guess  what's  coming.  After  food 
is  guessed,  it  is  served.  At  end  of  supper  and  when  coffee  is 
served,  cards,  found  in  napkins,  are  to  be  read,  and  Hostess  asks 
each  guest  in  turn  for  answer.  Whenever  any  guest  cannot  an- 
swer, Hostess  informs  guest  of  answer.  At  close  of  guessing, 
Hostess  gives  one  who  has  made  most  correct  guesses  a  prize 
(such  as  toy  hatchet,  photograph  of  Mount  Vernon,  or  of  Wash- 
ington, or  box  of  candied  cherries  with  artificial  cherries  on  cover). 

Recipes. 

Liberty-Cake  is  made  same  as  any  pound-cake,  but  with  icing 
of  red,  white  and  blue. 

Washington-Pie  is  made  like  layer  cake,  very  thin  crust  for 
bottom,  then  layer  of  custard,  then  layer  of  cake,  then  layer  of 
white  icing.  Pie  is  made  in  large,  flat,  square  pan;  and,  when 
done,  is  about  \y2  inches  thick.  On  icing  is  traced,  in  red, 
"Washington."    Hostess  cuts  and  serves  pie. 


OUR  LITTLE  HERO. 


[One  girl  recites  first  three  lines,  all  girls  recite  last  line.] 


[To  music  of  "Tramp,  Tramp,  Tramp"  (J^Oc),  boys  and  girls 
march  to  stage  and  take  positions — girls  standing,  one  back  of 
another  on  right;  boys,  one  back  of  another  on  left.  Each  girl 
has  small  bunch  of  cherries  in  belt;  each  boy  small  hatchet  in 
buttonhole.] 


130  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

[One  girl  recites  first  three  lines,  all  last  line.] 

We  know  some  famous  fruit  that  grows, 

In  stormy  Februaries, 
So  red  and  round,  the  sweetest  found — 

The  Washingtonian  Cherries ! 

[Girls,  all  singing,  hold  cherries  high,  march  forward  three 
steps,  then  backward  three  steps,  to  chorus  of  "Tramp, 
Tramp,  Tramp/'] 

All  in  step,  we  girls  come  marching, 

Little  patriots,  every  one, 
Stirring  little  songs  to  sing, 
Thanks  and  praise  and  love  to  bring 

To  the  hero  of  the  cherries — Washington! 

[One  boy  recites  first  three,  all  boys  recite  last  line.] 

We  know  a  famous  weapon  small, 

In  sharpness  none  can  match  it, 
So  brave  and  bold,  it  can't  grow  old, 

The  Washingtonian  Hatchet ! 

[Boys,  all  singing,  hold  hatchets  high,  march  forward  three 
steps,  then  backivard  three  steps,  to  chorus  of  "Tramp, 
Tramp,  Tramp."'] 

All  in  step,  we  boys  come  marching, 

Little  patriots,  every  one, 
Stirring  little  songs  to  sing, 
Thanks  and  praise  and  love  to  bring 

To  the  hero  of  the  hatchet — Washington! 

[Girls  hold  cherries  high,  boys  carrying  hatchets  over  shoul- 
ders, march  across  stage  toward  each  other,  boiv  to  each 
other,  and  march  two  and  two  about  stage,  or  room. 
Come  back  to  stage,  and  sing  while  marching  and  form- 
ing in  straight  line  across  front,  alternating  boys  and 
girls.] 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  131 

Left,  right,  left,  we  all  come  marching, 
Little  patriots,  etc. 
To  our  loyal,  little  hero,  Washington. 

\_All  march  out  for  a  moment,  then  return  and  perform 
"Hatchet  and  Cherry-Branch  Drill  and  Pantomime" 
{see  below.)] 


HATCHET  AND  CHERRY-BRANCH  DRILL 
AND  PANTOMIME. 


For  Boys  and  Girls. 


Stanley  Schell. 


Costumes:  Colonial  costumes  with  three-cornered  hats.  If 
Colonial  costumes  are  not  convenient,  ordinary  costumes  may 
be  worn.  Boys  carry  hatchets,  girls  carry  cherry-tree  branches 
bearing  red  cherries. 

Stage-Setting  :  Grass  on  stage  floor.  Large  tree-trunk  in  stage 
center.  Tub  in  which  tree-trunk  stands  is  hidden  by  pots  of 
flowering  geraniums.  Pots  of  flowers  at  stage  front.  Long 
bench  stage  right. 

Music:     "My  Bonnie"  (see  page  53)  played  throughout  drill. 

1.  Cherry-branch  girls  dance  in  with  waltz  step,  dancing  a  few 
steps  right  forward,  a  few  steps  left  forward;  then,  making  com- 
plete whirl  on  place,  again  dance  forward  a  few  steps  right,  for- 
ward a  few  steps  left,  making  another  whirl  on  place,  and  so  on, 
going  entirely  round  stage  in  circular  form. 

2.  When  girls  reach  stage  back  center,  they  form  in  couples 
and  trip  to  tree  in  center  of  stage.  First  couple  passes  to  right 
and  stands  swaying  cherry-branches.  Second  couple  passes  to 
left  and  stands  swaying  cherry-branches.  Third  couple  passes  to 
front  center  of  stage  and  stands  swaying  cherry-branches.  Fourth 
couple  stands  back  of  tree  swaying  cherry-branches.  If  more  than 
four  couples  are  in  drill,  other  couples  take  positions  between  first 
four  couples  so  that  all  positions  appear  harmonious  to  audience. 


132  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

DRILL. 

(a)  Sway  toward  tree  with  deep  courtesy,  waving  cherry-branches 

toward  tree,  touching  floor  with  tops  of  branches. 

(b)  Sway  away  from  tree  in  opposite  direction,  as  if  to  depart, 

touching  floor  with  tops  of  branches.    Resume  upright  po- 
sition. 
.  (c)   Couples  turn  back  to  back,  lift  branches  straight  front  and  re- 
volve on  place  once  by  way  of  right,  once  by  way  of  left, 
waving  branches  as  they  revolve. 

(d)  Couples  join  arms,  branches  in  outside  hands.   Cross  branches 

in  front;  wave  branches  right  and  left;  cross  branches; 
wave  branches,  etc.,  all  round  stage,  also  as  couples  pass 
other  couples.  On  meeting,  one  couple  passes  inside  and 
around  other  couple. 

(e)  When  back  in  place,  all  couples  separate  and  form  one  large 

circle  around  tree.  Rollicking  music  is  played  as  all  girls 
scamper  to  tree.  Some  girls  climb  on  tub,  fixing  their 
branches  in  place;  other  girls  stand  below  waiting  until 
girls  get  down  from  tub,  then  they  fix  their  branches  in 
place,  and  cherry-tree  is  finished. 

(/)  All  girls  join  hands,  scamper  wildly  around  tree,  separate, 
and  exit,  waltzing  in  couples. 

(g)  Music  (see  page  53)  is  again  played.  Boys  with  hatchets 
creep  in,  use  hatchets  on  everything,  whacking  right  and 
left.  After  one  complete  circle  of  stage,  boys  drop  to  floor 
as  if  exhausted. 

(h)  One  boy,  discovering  cherry-tree,  points  it  out  to  other  boys, 
who  spring  to  feet,  creep  Indian  fashion,  hatchets  extended 
toward  tree. 

[Music  of  Indian   dance   is  played.     See    "Hiawatha   Entertainments"    (35c.).] 

(i)   Boys  sidestep  around  tree,  giving  Indian  grunts. 
(/)   Boys  sidestep  around  tree  in  reverse  order. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  133 

(k)  Boys  stand  still  and  give  Indian  war-whoop. 

(/)  Boys  spring  toward  tree  and  begin  to  whack  with  hatchets. 
Every  boy  gets  branch  of  tree,  falls  in  behind  another  boy, 
and  "Indian-step"  around  tree. 

(m)  Music  on  page  53  is  played.  Boys  stand  erect  as  girls  rush 
on  stage  despairingly  waving  hands  and  pointing  at  tree. 
Girls  turn  on  boys,  pantomiming  their  demand  for  cherry- 
branches  held  by  boys.  Boys  offer  hatchets,  which  are  re- 
jected by  girls,  who  cover  faces  with  hands  and  sob.  Boys 
yield  up  branches  and  offer  arms  to  girls.  Girls  take 
branches,  also  boys'  arms. 

(n)  Girls,  holding  branches  at  side,  boys  with  hatchets  held  high 
out  at  side,  trip  around  tree,  once  by  way  of  right,  once  by 
way  of  left. 

(o)  Half  of  the  boys  and  girls  form  group  to  right  of  tree,  other 
half  to  left  of  tree,  one  couple  of  each  side  forming  curve 
near  tree  front. 

(p)  While  preceding  figure  ("o")  is  forming,  boy,  impersonating 
Washington  and  holding  big  cherry-branch,  trips  in  and 
climbs  on  tub  in  front  of  tree.  He  smiles  and  waves  branch 
at  groups,  who  likewise  smile  and  wave  branches,  as  if  in 
salute. 

(q)  Boy,  impersonating  Washington,  recites  "When  General 
Washington  Was  Young"   (see  page  28). 

(r)  Boys  separate  from  groups  and  form  semicircle  around  front 
of  tree.  All  boys  recite  in  concert  three  stanzas  of  poem 
on  page  54,  beginning  "I  chopped  a  young  tree  in  the 
orchard." 

(s)   Boys  move  back  to  girls  and  pose  with  girls  as  follows : 

1.  Girls,  holding  branches  high,  form  bunch  in  center.     Boys 

kneel  outside  girls,  and,  with  hatchets  extended,  look 
appealingly  up  at  girls. 

2.  Girls  run  out  between  kneeling  boys,  waving  branches  as 


134  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

they  go.  Boys  spring  to  feet,  form  group  in  center 
(where  girls  were),  backs  together,  facing  out.  Girls 
meanwhile  return,  and,  with  branches  laid  low  on  floor, 
•-humbly  kneel  at  feet  of  boys  who  hold  hatchets  ex- 
tended over  girls. 
3.  Boys  stand  erect,  place  hatchets  into  belt,  offer  hands  to 
kneeling  girls,  who  rise  and  hold  branches  against  hips. 
Boys  also  hold  hatchets  against  hips,  and  all,  boys  and 
girls  in  couples,  waltz  off  stage. 


PROGRESSIVE  WASHINGTON  PARTY. 


Cherry-Tree  Cc:  test. 
Entertainment  is  founded  on  the  ever-famous  cherry-tree  inci- 
dent. Hostess  provides,  in  advance  of  party,  evergreen  tree  and 
stands  it  upright  in  flower-pot.  Candied  cherries  are  fastened  with 
silk  thread  to  branches,  cherries  hanging  two  inches  from  branches. 
Guests  are  blindfolded,  each  in  turn,  whirled  around  three  times, 
given  scissors,  and  told  to  clip,  without  touching  tree  with  hands, 
as  many  cherries  as  possible  in  three  minutes.  Guest  that  has  cut 
most  cherries  gets  as  prize  box  of  candied  cherries. 

Big-Story  Feature. 
Fun  of  this  game  rests  on  tradition  that  Washington  could  not 
tell  a  lie.  Guests  are  asked  to  draw  chairs  into  circle  and  vie  in 
telling  the  absurdest  yarns.  Hostess,  or  committee  (who  must  be 
non-contestants),  decide,  awarding  prize  to  person  whose  story  is 
poorest.  Explanation  is  made  that  this  award  is  made  because 
Washington  was  poor  hand  at  telling  stories,  and,  therefore,  all 
patriotic  persons  should  be  like  him. 

Burying  the  Hatchet. 
Hatchet-shaped  candy-box  is  needed.     Guests  are  divided  into 
sections,  one  section  going  to  another  room,  other  section  hiding 
hatchet.    First  section  returns  and  makes  five  guesses  as  to  place 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  135 

of  hatchet.  If  any  guess  is  right,  a  point  is  won ;  if  no  guess  is 
right,  nothing  is  won.  Second  section  goes  out,  and,  on  returning, 
becomes  guessers.  Each  section  has  three  turns.  Winning  section 
then  decides  which  person  is  to  have  prize. 

Washington  Memory  Test. 
For  this  question-game  guests  receive  tiny  flags   (may  be  cut 
from  water-color  paper) ,  red,  white  and  blue  on  one  side,  and 
question  written  or  printed  on  other  side.    Following  questions  are 
suggested ;  other  questions  may  be  substituted  or  added. 

Questions. 

1.  In  what  State  was  Washington  born? 

2.  In  what  year  was  he  born? 

3.  What  was  the  profession  of  his  father? 

4.  What  was  the  maiden  name  of  his  mother? 

5.  Did  George  attend  any  college? 

6.  What  nobleman  was  his  early  patron? 

7.  Who  sent  him  on  his  famous  journey  through  the  wilderness? 

8.  What  position  did  he  hold  under  Braddock? 

9.  Whom  did  he  marry  ? 

10.  How   did  he  act  when   complimented  first  on  his   military 

services. 

11.  What  year  was  he  made  Continental  Commander-in-Chief? 

12.  Where  did  he  spend  the  winter  of  1777? 

13.  When  was  he  elected  President? 

14.  How  long  did  he  hold  the  presidency? 

15.  Did  he  leave  children  at  death? 

16.  Where  did  he  die? 

17.  Did  he  hold  slaves? 

18.  Did  he  approve  of  slavery? 

19.  What  became  of  his  slaves  after  their  master's  death. 

20.  By  whom  was  he  called  "First  in  war,  first  in  peace,  etc.  ?" 

Answers. 

1.  Virginia.  3.  Planter. 

2.  1732.  4.  Mary  Ball. 


136  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 


5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 

11. 
12. 
13. 

No. 

Lord  Fairfax. 

Governor  Dinwiddie. 

Aide-de-camp. 

Mrs.  Martha  Custis. 

Blushed,  stammered  and 

could  not  speak. 
1775. 

Valley  Forge. 
1789. 

14.  For   two   terms   of   fom 

years  each. 

15.  No. 

16.  At  Mount  Vernon. 

17.  Yes. 

18.  No. 

19.  They  were  set  free. 

20.  By  the  House  of  Repre 

sentatives. 

COLONIAL  ENTERTAINMENT  PROGRAM. 

Recitations,  Tableaux,  Tableaux  Vivants,  Singing. 
Dancing,  etc. 

Stanley  Schell. 

[Small  girl,  in  old-time  costume,  stands  before  curtain  and  be 
gins  entertainment  by  reciting  following,  and  disappearing.] 

To-night  (or  to-day)  we  briefly  will  combine 
Sweet  scenes  and  songs  of  Colonial  time. 
A  peep  we'll  take  of  those  far-off  days, 
Those  days  at  which  we  so  love  to  gaze.. 
The  mists  of  a  century  now  roll  away, 
And  Colonial  time  scenes  before  us  lay. 
We  enter  the  home  of  a  pioneer 
Through  the  open  door,  and  soon  we  hear 
The  buzz  and  hum  of  a  spinning-wheel. 

[Curtain  rises  on  Priscilla  seated  at  zvork  at  spinning-wheel. 
She  sings  "Priscilla  at  Her  Spinning"  (30c.)  as  she  works.  John 
Alden  enters  and  offers  her  nosegay.  Larger  girl  stands  at  one 
side  and  recites  following  four  lines,  then  disappears.'] 

That  rosy  maid,  with  her  modest  ways 
Who  spun  her  flax  in  Colonial  days, 
Was  very  charming  and  so  sweet 
In  her  homespun  dress  so  plain  and  neat. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  137 

[Curtain  falls.  Enter  another  girl  who  recites  following  two 
lines  before  curtain  and  disappears.] 

And  now  we'll  turn  to  a  later  day 
When  Colonial  maids  did  dance  and  play. 

Curtain  rises  on  "Martha  Washington  Tea-Party"  (35c),  pan- 
tomimed by  girls  in  Colonial  costume.  Curtain  falls.  Girl  recites 
before  curtain  first  and  second  stanzas  of  "The  Minuet"  (see 
page  187).  Minuet  music*  is  played  during  reciting  of  third 
stanza.  Curtain  rises,  showing  old-fashioned  sitting-room,  with 
sofa  and  chairs  center  of  room ;  table  with  cover  and  work-basket. 
Near  table,  stage  L.,  old  woman  in  rocking-chair  knitting  stocking. 
Old  woman  wears  lace-cap,  spectacles  well  down  on  nose,  plain 
black  gown  with  white  shawl  handkerchief  folded  about  shoulders 
and  ends  fastened  front  of  belt.  Old  woman  should  not  look  at 
reciter,  but  should  rock  and  keep  on  knitting. 

At  end  of  "Yet  her  figure  is  so  neat"  curtain  falls.  Reciter 
continues.  At  last  word  of  "I  can  almost  see  her  now,"  curtain 
rises  on  Colonial  room.  At  each  side  of  center  are  four  couples 
(eight  couples  in  all)  bowing  low  and  gracefully  to  one  another.. 
Reciter  steps  one  side  of  stage  and  glances  delightedly  toward 
stage.  Minuet  music  is  played  and  couples  on  stage  dance  "The 
Minuet." 

At  end  of  dance,  curtain  falls,  and  reciter,  standing  at  stage 
center  front,  recites  fourth  stanza.  When  she  says  "Gliding  slowly 
forward,"  etc.,  she  dances  forward  and  back,  and  courtesies. 

When  reciter  begins  fifth  stanza,  curtain  rises  to  waltz  music; 
reciter  steps  one  side.  On  stage,  in  up-to-date  room,  young  girls, 
dressed  as  golfers,  medical  students,  college  students,  etc.,  dance 
modern  waltz  for  a  few  moments.  Curtain  falls.  Reciter  recites 
fifth  stanza,  and  then  last  stanza.  With  last  line,  reciter  slightly 
lifts  skirt  and  dances  daintily  a  few  steps  of  "The  Minuet,"  then 
trips  off  stage.     Curtain  falls. 


•Minuet  music,   directions  for  dancing,    and   illustrations   of,    "The   Minuet,"   in 
"Little   Grandmas   in   Grandma  Land"    (35c), 


138  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Another  reciter  comes  before  curtain.  Curtain  rises ;  reciter  re- 
cites "Little  Martha  Washington"  (see  page  182),  pointing  to 
picture  of  Martha  Washington  now  on  stage. 

Curtain  falls;  another  girl  or  boy  takes  position  before  curtain 
and  recites  following  stanza,  then  disappears. 

A  noble  form,  brave,  valiant,  true, 

With  bearing  grand,  now  comes  to  view, 

His  vision  cloudless,  and  we  see 

The  father  of  our  country. 

Beside  him  is  a  fair,  sweet  face, 

A  form  of  naught  but  ease  and  grace. 

Ah !  sure  no  other  can  it  be 

Than  Martha  Washington — 

Love's  chain  most  surely  doth  entwine 

The  noble  hearts  of  Colonial  time. 

Curtain  rises  on  tableau  of  George  and  Martha  Washington  gaz- 
ing fondly  at  each  other.  George  bows  low  over  Martha's  hand 
and  kisses  back  of  it.  Curtain  falls;  another  girl  comes  before 
curtain  and  recites  "Ballad  of  Sweet  P"  (see  "Werner's  Readings 
No.  22" — 35c.)  to  stanza  beginning  "With  jest  and  laughter  and 
candles  bright."  Curtain  rises  disclosing  tableau  described  below. 
During  whole  tableau,  reciter,  standing  at  side  of  stage,  continues 
reciting,  telling  story  of  tableau. 

Scene:  Interior  of  Colonial  house;  large  hall,  old-fashioned 
stairway ;  tall,  old-fashioned  clock  on  stair-landing,  stage  R.  Hall 
filled  with  brilliantly  uniformed  British  officers  with  swords. 
Around  them  are  charming  Colonial  maids  and  matrons.  Sound 
of  music  in  background  of  room.  Suddenly  voices  hush,  all  eyes 
turn  toward  Penelope  who  comes  trippingly  downstairs,  runs 
daintily  among  officers,  who  quickly  circle  around  her.  At  sug- 
gestion of  dancing,  all  cheer;  officers  run  forward  to  her  bowing 
and  requesting  honor  of  a  dance.  Penelope  chooses  gayest  and 
handsomest  officers.  "La  Pavanne"  (description  sent  for  50c.) 
is  danced.    After  dance,  and  when  reciter  reaches  "Let  each  lay  it 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  139 

down  at  my  feet,"  Penelope  gets  officers  to  lay  swords  at  her  feet. 
When  swords  are  in  pile,  Penelope  holds  rose  high,  picking  off  and 
blowing  petals,  which  officers  try  to  catch.  In  midst  of  noisy 
scramble  for  petals  door  suddenly  opens  and  in  rush  Washington 
and  soldiers  (shabbily  dressed).  Everything  is  in  confusion. 
British  officers  try  to  take  up  swords,  but  are  hindered  by  Penelope, 
who  jumps  before  officers  and  over  swords,  covering  swords  with 
gown.  Washington  and  soldiers,  with  leveled  guns  ready  to  fire, 
stand  boldly  facing  British  officers.    Curtain  falls. 

Reciter  comes  again  before  curtain,  recites  last  stanza,  and  dis- 
appears. 

Curtain  rises  on  "Colonial  Sword  March"  (use  "American  Flag 
March,"  in  "Flag-Day  Program" — 35c),  with  swords  substituted 
for  flags.  "Sabre  of  My  Father"  (in  "Flag-Day  Program")  is 
sung.    Those  who  took  part  in  tableau  take  part  in  drill. 

CURTAIN. 


WASHINGTON  PARTY. 


Invitation. 


Colonel   George   and   Mistress  Martha 

Washington 

do  bid  thee  to  an  assembly  on 

Friday,    the    two   and    twentieth    day 

of  this  year  of  grace, 

at  half  after  eight   of  the   clock 

No  43  East  19th  Street 


Decorations  :  On  walls  of  rooms  stiff  evergreen  wreaths  fes- 
tooned with  bunting  and  Colonial  flags.  For  further  effect, 
use  candles  only,  in  Colonial  candlesticks. 

Costumes  :  Hostess — Gray  gown,  with  mob-cap,  fichu,  mittens, 
white-powered  hair.  Host — Velvet  knee-breeches,  buckled 
shoes,  etc.  Host  stands  with  Hostess  near  door.  Guests — 
Colonial  costumes,  white-powdered  wigs 

Entertainment. 
Guests  sit  at  small  tables,  each  of  which  is  devoted  to  a  different 


140  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

game,  as  dominoes,  checkers,  beggar-my-neighbor,  bezique,  etc. 
Usual  rules  for  such  games  are  observed.  Scores  are  kept  by 
small  red-,  white  and  blue  rosettes.  Holder  of  most  rosettes  at  end 
of  game  gets  as  prize  Washington  photograph  in  silver  frame. 

Supper  being  announced,  Hostess  leads  Guests  to  dining-room 
to  music  of  "Liberty  Bell  March"  (50c). 

From  each  corner  of  square  table  are  festoons  of  small  flags 
fastened  with  ribbons  and  extending  to  chandelier.  In  center  of 
table  small  cherry-tree  to  which  is  fastened  fruit  (may  be  artifi- 
cial), cords  fastening  fruit  to  be  hidden  as  much  as  possible. 
Favors  of  small  crepe-paper  cocked  hats  decorated  with  tiny 
cockades  of  red,  white  and  blue  and  filled  with  candied  cherries  are 
placed  at  intervals  along  each  side  of  table.  Supper  menu  may 
be  as  follows : 

Cold    Chicken.  Olives. 

Baked  Beans.  Cranberry  Jelly. 

Brown  Bread. 

Crullers.  "Washington    Pie. 

Coffee.  Cider. 

Dance:     After  supper.  Guests  dance  the  Minuet,  Virginia  Reel, 
old-fashioned  quadrille,  etc. 


CHERRY-TREE   DIALOGUE. 


For  Five  Boys. 


Decorations  and  Costumes:  Chains,  made  of  re'd,  white  and 
blue  paper  rings,  hang  from  hook  in  center  of  ceiling  to  each 
corner  of  room.  Stencil  portrait  of  Washington  on  black- 
board. Boy,  in  Colonial  costume,  greets  guests  at  door,  pre- 
sents each  guest  with  souvenir  shield  (made  of  bristol-card, 
upper  part  painted  blue,  lower  part  painted  in  red  stripes), 
and  directs  guest  to  two  girl  ushers  (in  white  dresses  and 
bunting  sashes)  who  seat  guest.  When  all  guests  are  seated, 
five  boys  step  forward  and  recite  as  directed  below. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  141 

First  Boy. 

Say,  boys,  Graham  is  a  little  English  boy  and  has  never  heard 
of  George  Washington  until  to-day. 
All. 

Never  heard  of  George  Washington ! 
Graham. 

Tell  me  all  about  him. 
First  Boy. 

When  the  great  and  good  George  Washington, 

Was  a  little  boy  like  me; 
He  took  his  little  hatchet  and 
Chopped  down  a  cherry-tree. 
Graham. 

Chopped  down  a  cherry-tree! 
All. 

Chopped  down  a  cherry-tree ! 
Graham. 

Is  that  what  you  call  being  good  in  America?    I  think  he  was 
a  naughty  boy. 
All. 

Wait  until  you  hear  the  rest. 
Second  Boy. 

And  when  his  papa  called  him, 

He  then  began  to  cry, 
"I  did  it,  oh,  I  did  it, 
I  cannot  tell  a  lie !" 
All. 

He  could  not  tell  a  lie. 
Graham. 

Well,  he  was  a  good  boy. 
Third  Boy. 

His  papa  didn't  scold  him  at  all, 
But  said,  "You  noble  youth, 


142  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 


Fourth  Boy. 


All. 


I'd  gladly  lose  ten  cherry-trees 
To  have  you  tell  the  truth." 

But  I,  myself,  am  not  quite  clear, 

For  if  I  took  my  hatchet 
And  chopped  my  papa's  cherry-tree 

Oh,  wouldn't  I  just  catch  it ! 

Yes,  if  we  took  our  hatchet 

And  chopped  our  papa's  cherry-tree, 

Oh,  wouldn't  we  just  catch  it ! 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON   HATCHET   PARTY. 


Invitations. 
Send  invitations  two  weeks  before  party,  requesting  guests  to 
appear,  in  Martha  or  George  Washington  costumes.  (See  page 
111  for  description  of  costumes.)  One  guest  should  dress  as 
Sambo,  Washington's  man  servant;  another  guest  as  Dinah, 
Martha  Washington's  maid. 

Decorations. 
American  colors  on  doors,  chandeliers,  pictures,  mantels,  etc. 
American  flags  drape  portraits  of  Gtorge  and  Martha  Washing- 
ton. At  head  of  room,  large  card  with  ''1732-1912"  (or  year  when 
party  is  given),  painted  in  black.  On  walls  cards  with  mottoes, 
as  "First  in  the  Hearts  of  his  Countrymen,"  "First  in  War,  First 
in  Peace,"  "He  Never  Told  a  Lie,"  etc.  Between  cards,  other 
cards,  some  lower,  some  higher,  of  successful  battles,  as  "Tren- 
ton," "Yorktown,"  etc.  Use  as  lights  candles  only,  in  brass  can- 
dlesticks on  mantels  and  about  room. 

Hints  to  Hostess. 
To  Prepare  a  Tree — Paint  on  large  sheet  a  tree  with  deep  notch 
near  bottom,  right-hand  side;  sheet  is  stretched  tight  and  smooth 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  143 

across  end  of  room.  Provide  black  pasteboard  hatchets  for  all 
guests.  Each  hatchet  has  pin  that  can  be  fastened  to  sheet  where- 
ever  guest  presses  pin.  (See  hatchet  illustration  frontispiece  of 
this  book.) 

On  arrival,  Hostess  gives  each  guest  hatchet  and  requests  guest 
to  study  tree.  Guest  is  blindfolded  and  directed  to  fasten  hatchet 
near  notch  in  tree.  After  hatchet  is  fastened,  blindfold  is  re- 
moved, and  another  guest  is  blindfolded;  and  so  on  until  each 
guest  has  his  turn.  Guest  that  fastens  hatchet  nearest  notch,  wins 
first  prize.  Guest  that  fastens  hatchet  farthest  from  notch,  wins 
booby  prize. 

Refreshments. 
Bouillon,  chicken  sandwiches,  olives,  salted  peanuts  or  almonds, 
cake  iced  with  red,  white  and  blue,  ice  cream  in  hatchet-cases. 

Favors. 
Little  hatchets  with  ribbons.    Guests  fasten  hatchets  to  coats  or 
waists  and  wear  them  during  evening.    Games  or  dancing  follows 
refreshments. 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON  DINNER  PARTY. 


Stanley  Schell. 


Decorations. 

Room  Decorations. — See  page  142  for  description. 

Children's  Table. — Table  is  covered  with  large  American  flag, 
edges  of  which  are  decorated  with  smilax  garlands  and 
bunches  of  boxwood  leaves.  Bunches  of  cherries,  with  little 
hatchets,  are  tied  to  corners  of  flag.  In  center  of  table,  large 
candelabra;  at  each  end  of  table,  brass  candle-stick.  Potted 
plants,  decorated  with  American  flags,  at  each  corner  of  table. 
For  flower-pots  use  old-fashioned  red,  white  and  blue  dishes. 

Adults'  Table. — White  table  linen;  national  colors  in  four-inch 
satin  ribbon  laid  side  by  side  down  center  of  table  and  across 


144  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

center  of  table.  At  center  of  table  red  and  white  roses  in 
large  blue  bowl,  surrounded  with  low  dishes  of  three-colored 
bon-bons.  Candles  in  brass  candle-sticks,  with  bows  of  red, 
white  and  blue  ribbon,  at  corners  of  table.  Blue  dishes,  white 
napkins  with  red  borders  and  thirteen  stars  in  corner.  Name- 
cards  with  portrait  of  Washington  at  plates. 


Menu. 

Tomato    Soup. 

Celery. 

Radishes. 

Turkey. 

Cranberries, 

Mashed 

Potatoes. 

Salad. 

Ice 

Cream. 

Candied   Cherries. 
Coffee. 

Grapes. 

Menu  Hints. — Salad  is  made  by  putting  lettuce  leaves  on  bottom 
of  dish,  then  a  layer  of  small  pieces  of  celery,  then  layer  of 
slices  of  beets,  then  four  eggs  with  blue-colored  shells. 
Salad  may  also  be  made  of  red,  white  and  blue  cabbage. 
Ice-cream,  or  ices,  to  be  in  red,  white  and  blue  hatchet- 
shaped  cases.     Grapes  should  be  red,  white  and  blue. 

Favors. 

For  Children. — Gilt  hatchets  with  portrait  of  Washington.  Bunches 

of  cherries  tied  to  handle  with  red,  white  and  blue  ribbon. 

For  Adults. — China  or  bisque  Continental  hats. 

Dinner  may  be  followed  by  dancing  or  playing  old-fashioned 
games. 

Costumes. 
If  guests  appear  in  costumes  of  Washington's  time,  Host  and 
Hostess  should  appear  as  George  and  Martha  Washington  respec- 
tively, or  should  designate  two  guests  to  wear  such  costumes. 
Those  costumed  as  George  and  Martha  Washington,  should  lead 
in  everything,  both  at  table,  in  playing  games,  and  in  dancing. 
Waiters,  door-opener,  also  dressing-room  maids,  should  be  black. 
Maids  should  wear  gay  bandannas  around  heads,  black  dresses, 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  145 

white  aprons.     Men  waiters  and  door-opener  should  wear  Conti- 
nental black,  or  yellow  dress-suits. 


WASHINGTON  BIRTHDAY  DRILL  AND 
TABLEAUX 


For  12  Girls. 


Stanley  Schell. 


Costumes  :  Red,  white  and  blue.  Girls  hold  three  red,  white  and 
blue  ribbons  (each  2y2  yards  long). 

Music:     "Red,  White  and  Blue." 

[Words  and  music  in  "Flag-Day  Program" — 35c] 

Position  :  All  girls  in  three  lines,  four  girls  in  a  line,  holding 
loosely  ends  of  ribbon  in  both  hands  and  across  belt,  and 
facing  audience. 

Drill. 
Charge  up  R. !    R.  arm  up,  L.  hand  at  L.  belt,  back  to  position 

(8  counts). 
Charge  up  L. !     L.  arm  up,  R.  hand  at  belt,  back  to  position  (8 

counts). 
Charge  both!    Alternate  (16  counts). 
Charge  front  R. !    R.  arm  out  R.  oblique,  R.  foot  out  R.  oblique, 

stamp,  back  to  position  (8  counts). 
Charge  front  L. !     L.  arm  out  L.  oblique,  L.  foot  out  L.  oblique, 

stamp,  back  to  position  (8  counts). 
Charge !     Salute !    R.  arm  out  R.  oblique,  R.  foot  out  R.  oblique, 

stamp,  back  to  position,  L.  foot  back  L.  oblique,  ribbons  across 

front;  lower  down  and  bow;  recover  (16  counts). 

Tableau   I. 
Back  four  girls  move  close  together.     Other  girls  pass  ends  of 
ribbons  to  them-  and  kneel  in  semicircle  facing  audience.     Back 
girls  remain  standing  and  hold  ribbons  tight.     Kneeling  girls  as- 
sume easy  poses. 


146  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

[While  tableau  is  held  girl  chorus  sings  "Red,  White  and 
Blue."] 

Girls  on  stage  take  position  for  drill. 

Drill. 
Rise  !    Rest !    Both  arms  up ;  then  back  to  belt  (8  counts) . 
Down!    Rest!    Both  arms  down,  then  back  to  belt  (8  counts). 
Alternate!     (16  counts). 
Charge !     Out  R. !     R.  hand  and  arm  out  straight  R.,  then  back 

(8  counts). 
Charge !     Out  L. !     L.  hand  and  arm  out  straight  L.,  then  back 

(8  counts). 
Charge  both  !    Alternate  (16  counts). 

Tableau   II. 

Front  line — Two  girls  move  together  to  R.,  and  two  girls  move 
together  to  L.     All  kneel. 

Second  line — One  girl  steps  behind  kneeling  girls  R.,  another 
girl  behind  kneeling  girls  L.  Remaining  two  girls  kneel  at 
stage  C. 

Third  line — One  girl  steps  behind  stage  center  kneeling  girls; 
other  three  girls  form  triangle  behind  her.  All  girls  hold  ends  of 
ribbons. 

[While  tableau  is  held  girl  chorus  sings  "Red,  White  and 
Blue."] 

Girls  step  quickly  to  drill  positions,  while  girl,  dressed  as  God- 
dess of  Liberty,  with  large  American  flag,  enters,  steps  to  stage 
center  and  stands. 

Drill. 
Present !    Girls  face  Goddess  and  stretch  ribbons  toward  her  as  if 

asking  her  to  take  them.    Back  to  position  (8  counts). 
Back  Salute !     Step  back  with  L.  foot  and  drop  ribbons  low  in 

front,  bow  low  to  Goddess,  then  to  position  (8  counts). 
Present !     Offer  ribbons  to  Goddess  again,  then  back  to  position ; 
look  pleadingly.    On  sixth  count,  Goddess  accepts  ends  of  rib- 
.bons,  and  holds  them  (8  counts). 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  147 

Drop-Salute!    All  bend  knee  (8  counts). 

Tableau  III. 
With  flag  in  front  and  ribbons  held  against  flag,  Goddess  stands 
looking  on  girls  kneeling  and  gazing  at  her. 

[Girl  chorus  sings  "Red,  White  and  Blue."] 

At  end  of  chorus  colored  lights  are  thrown  on  tableau..  Chorus 
is  played  again,  girls  all  rise,  sing,  wave  ribbons,  follow  Goddess, 
who  waves  flag,  then  all  skip  lightly  off  stage. 


CHILDREN'S  WASHINGTON  BIRTHDAY  PROGRAM. 


I.  Salute  to  the  Flag. 

II.  Washington  and  the  Flag. 

III.  Washington  Pictures. 

IV.  Washington  Acrostic. 
V.  Washington,  the  Boy. 

VI.  Washington,  the  Man. 

VII.  Salute  to  Washington. 

I.  Salute  to  the  Flag By  the  School 

I  give  my  hand  and  my  heart  to  my  country, — one  country, 
one  language,  one  flag.  [Right  hand,  palm  down,  on  fore- 
head, until  last  words  are  reached,  when  flag  is  pointed  at  a 
moment.'] 

II.  Washington  and  the  Flag By  8  Pupils. 

First  Pupil  [holding  flag  in  R.  hand] .    This  is  the  flag  of 

our  country. 
Second  Pupil.        It  is  red,  white  and  blue. 
Third  Pupil.  Red  says  :   Be  brave. 

Fourth  Pupil        White  says :    Be  pure. 
Fifth  Pupil.  Blue  says  :    Be  true. 

Sixth  Pupil  Run  the  flags  up,  every  one, 

The  old  Red,  White,  and  Blue. 
All  to  honor  Washington, 

Good,  and  brave,  and  true. 


148  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Seventh  Pupil.    The  twenty-second  of  February  is  Wash- 
ington's birthday. 
Eighth  Pupil.     I  love  the  name  of  Washington, 
I  love  my  country,  too. 
I  love  the  flag,  the  dear  old  flag, 
Of  red,  and  white,  and  blue. 

III.  Washington  Pictures By  5  Pupils 

[Each  child  holds  up  in  turn  his  picture  relating  to  Wash- 
ington.] 
First  Pupil.       This  is  a  picture  of  George  Washington. 
Second  Pupil.    This  is  a  picture  of  his  wife. 
Third  Pupil.      This  is  a  picture  of  his  home. 
Fourth  Pupil.  This  is  a  picture  of  the  Washington  statue 

in  Boston. 
Fifth  Pupil.      This   is    a   picture   of   the   monument   in 

Washington. 
All.     There  is  a  picture  of  Washington  on  every  two-cent 

stamp  and  on  some  two-dollar  bills. 

IV.  Washington  Acrostic By  11  Pupils 

First  Pupil.  We  want  to  be  like  Washington.  [Hangs 
up  banner  having  ten  hooks  on  it,  one  hook  under  the 
other.  Other  ten  children  in  turn  hang  on  hooks  cards 
on  which  are  words:  "Wise,"  "Active,"  "Strong," 
"Honest,"  "Industrious,"  "Neat,"  "Good,"  "Truth- 
ful," "Obedient,"  "Noble."] 

V.  Washington,  The  Boy By  11  Pupils. 

First  Pupil.  George  Washington  was  born  in  1732.  His 
home  was  in  Virginia.  His  first  teacher  was  a  Mr.  Hobby. 

Second  Pupil.  His  oldest  brother,  Lawrence,  was  a  sol- 
dier.   He  told  George  many  stories  about  soldiers. 

Third  Pupil.  George  Washington  liked  to  play  soldier. 
He  knew  more  about  it  than  the  other  boys  in  Mr. 
Hobby's  school.    So  he  was  always  the  captain. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  149 

Fourth  Pupil.  When  George  Washington  was  eleven 
years  old,  his  father  died.  After  that  he  went  to  Mr. 
Williams's  school. 

Fifth  Pupil.  He  was  very  fond  of  horses.  He  was 
strong  and  fearless.  He  was  not  afraid  to  ride  the  wild- 
est horse. 

Sixth  Pupil.  He  could  run  swiftly.  He  could  make  long 
jumps.    He  was  a  powerful  wrestler. 

Seventh  Pupil.  He  could  throw  farther  than  anyone 
else.    Once  he  threw  a  stone  across  a  wide  river. 

Eighth  Pupil.  His  brother  Lawrence  wanted  him  to  go 
to  sea  as  midshipman.  George  wanted  to  go,  but  his 
mother  could  not  part  with  him.     So  he  stayed  at  home. 

Ninth  Pupil.  He  went  to  school  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  old.  He  learned  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  book- 
keeping, and  surveying. 

Tenth  Pupil.  He  took  great  pains  with  all  he  did.  His 
copy-books  are  kept  in  glass  cases.  They  show  that  his 
writing  was  very  neat. 

Eleventh  Pupil.  He  wrote  out  fifty  rules  of  behavior. 
He  wanted  to  be  a  gentleman  in  every  way. 

VI.     Washington,  The  Man.  .  .Dialogue  for  8  Boys  and  3  Girls 

John,  William. 

J.       How  old  was  Washington  when  he  became  surveyor? 

W.     He  was  sixteen  years  old. 

J.       How  much  did  he  earn  as  a  surveyor? 

W.     From  seven  to  twenty-one  dollars  a  day.  . 

J.       What  kind  of  land  did  he  survey? 

W.     Wild  land. 

J.       What  kind  of  life  did  he  lead? 

W.  He  crossed  rough  mountains,  and  rode  his  horse 
through  swollen  streams.  He  slept  out  of  doors  on 
a  little  hay.      He  cooked  his  own  food. 

J.       How  long  did  he  lead  this  life? 


i50  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

W.     Three  years. 

J.       Then  what  did  he  become  ? 

W.     A  soldier. 

Roy,  Herbert. 

R.      Who  sent  Washington  on  a  journey? 

H.      The  Governor  of  Virginia. 

R.      What  for? 

H.      To  carry  a  letter  to  some  French  officers. 

R.      What  was  the  letter  about? 

H.      It  told  the  French  to  keep  off  the  English  ground. 

R.      How  long  was  the  journey? 

H.      Six  hundred  miles,  through  the  woods. 

R.      Tell  me  some  more  about  the  journey. 

H.  The  weather  was  cold,  the  rivers  frozen,  the  ground 
covered  with  snow  and  the  paths  hard  to  find. 

R.      Did  he  get  home  safely? 

H.  Yes,  but  once  he  was  almost  drowned  as  he  was  cross- 
ing a  river  on  a  raft. 

Etta,  Bella. 

E.      Whom  did  he  marry? 
B.      Mrs.  Martha  Custis. 
E.      Where  did  they  live? 
B.      At  Mount  Vernon. 
E.      Of  what  was  he  fond? 
B.      Hunting  and  fishing. 
E.      What  did  he  like  to  do? 

B.  He  liked  to  ride  over  his  large  plantation  to  see  that 
everything  was  all  right. 

Joseph,  Isaac. 

J.      When   did   the  war   between   England   and   America 

begin  ? 
I.      On  the  nineteenth  of  April,  1775,  by  a  battle  at  Lex- 
ington. 
J.      What  was  the  war  about? 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  151 

I.      Taxes.     The  English    taxed  the    Americans    without 

asking  their  consent. 
J.     How  long  did  the  war  last? 
I.      Eight  years. 
J.      Who  conquered? 
I.      The  Americans. 

Thomas,  Brenton. 

T.      Did  Washington  like  to  be  a  soldier? 

B.      No,  he  would  rather  be  a  farmer. 

T.      When  the  war  was  over  what  did  he  do? 

B.      He  went  back  to  Mount  Vernon. 

T.      Why  didn't  he  stay  there  ? 

B.      The  American  people  wanted  him  to  be  their  president. 

T.      How  long  was  he  President? 

B.      Eight  years. 

T.      When  did  he  die? 

B.      In  1799. 

T.      How  old  was  he  when  he  died? 

B.      He  was  sixty-seven  years  old. 
Marion.    When  Washington  was  a  man  he  was  surveyor,  then 

he  was  a  soldier,  then  a  farmer.    After  that  he  was  a  soldier 

again.     Then   he   was   the  first   President   of.  the  United 

States. 

VII.     Salute  to  Washington By  the  School 

We  honor  Washington,  first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first 
in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 


WASHINGTON  BIRTHDAY  EXERCISE. 


For  Children  and  School. 


Stage-Setting:  Flags,  and  red,  white  and  blue  bunting;  portrait 
of  Washington  on  wall  or  on  easel,  in  conspicuous  place. 
Whole  school  should  take  part.     Several  children  come  on 


152 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 


stage, 
Baby" 

Song. 


Spoken. 


School. 
Children. 


School. 


Children. 


hand   in  hand,   singing  following  stanza    ("About  a 
)  to  tune  of  "Little  Drops  of  Water." 

We  have  come  together, 

Standing  in  a  row ; 
Just  because  there's  something 

Which  you  ought  to  know. 
So  we're  here  to  tell  you 

Of  that  winter's  morn 
When,  in  old  Virginia, 

Washington  was  born. 

Yes,  we  little  children 

Now  here  come  to  you 
To  tell  you  about  a  baby 

Born   in   seventeen   thirty-two. 

Who  was  he? 

Can  you  ask  us? 

You  surely  know  his  name; 
'Tis  written  in  the  hearts  of  men, 

And  on  the  scroll  of  fame. 

His  name  we  can't  remember. 
Were  honors  by  him  won? 

Why,  don't  you  know  that  baby 
Was  General  Washington? 


Song.    "His  Name  Can  Never  Die" By  the  Children 

[Tune:    "Lightly  Row."] 

Years  may  fly ! 
Years  may  fly ! 
But  his  name  can  never  die; 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  153 

Wise  and  brave ! 
Wise  and  brave! 
Speaks  he  from  the  grave. 
Freedom  that  for  us  he  won, 
Whispers  e'er  of  Washington; 
While  on  high, 
While  on  high, 
All  her  banners  fly. 
School.    What  do  you  know  of  his  early  days  ?• 
First  Child.    I  know  that  he  was  the  son  of  Augustine  and  Mary 

Washington,  and  was  born  February  22,  1732. 
Children  Together. 

His  tender  mother,  bending 
Above  him,  could  not  see 
That  baby  hand  would  one  day 
Shape  a  nation's  destiny. 
School.    Where  was  this? 
Second  Child. 

Down  where  the  blue  Potomac 

Winds  onward  to  the  bay, 
Through  fields  and  sunny  meadows, 
He  kept  his  first  birthday. 
School.    What  kind  of  a  boy  was  he? 
First  Child. 

As  a  lad  I've  heard  that  Washington 
Was  manly,  strong,  and  fond  of  fun. 
Second  Child. 

He  could  ride  a  horse,  could  swim  and  row, 
Wrestle  and  run,  so  long  ago. 
Third  Child. 

He  was  never  cunning,  mean  or  sly, 
And,  best  of  all,  he  wouldn't  lie! 


School, 


Tell  us  more,  my  children, 
Of  his  early  years, 


154  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

All  his  childish  pleasures, 
Boyish  hopes  and  fears. 
Fourth  Child.    Before  he  was  very  old,  his  father  died,  and  his 
mother  had  to  look  after  the  farm  and  take  care  of  the 
children. 
School.    What  did  Washington  do? 
Children. 

Helped  her  in  every  way  he  could; 
He  was  loving,  obedient,  kind,  and  good. 
Fifth  Child.     When  he  was  about  sixteen  he  wanted  to  be  a 
sailor,  but  this  made  his  mother  so  unhappy  that,  for  her 
sake,  he  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  such  a  life. 
Children. 

You  may  talk  of  your  knights,  like  Bayard, 

And  tell  of  the  deeds  they've  done; 
But  a  boy  who  will  do  his  duty 
Is  braver  than  every  one. 
School.    How  did  he  try  to  acquire  good  habits  ? 
Sixth  Child. 

I've  heard  when  Washington  went  to  school, 
To  order  his  conduct  he'd  many  a  rule; 
They  smoothed  his  pathway  when  he  was  young, 
And  kept  him  safe  temptations  among. 
School.    What  did  he  study? 

Seventh  Child.  After  he  gave  up  the  idea  of  being  a  sailor,  he 
studied  surveying.  A  surveyor  is  a  man  who  measures 
land.  Lord.  Fairfax,  who  owned  a  great  deal  of  land  in 
Virginia,  asked  Washington  to  measure  it.  To  do  this 
Washington  had  to  live  in  the  woods. 
Children. 

For  years,  through  the  changing  seasons, 

Learning  of  woodland  ways, 
Close  to  the  heart  of  nature 

He  lived  through  long,  toilsome  days. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  155 

Song.    "Forget  Him,  No  Never" By  the  Children 

[Tune:    "I'm   a   Little    Buttercup."] 

O  many  the  years  since  then; 
Many  the  years  since  then; 
They've  come  and  have  come  again; 
Yet  the  land  still  rejoices, 
And  children's  sweet  voices 
Are  raised  in  his  honor  again. 
Forget  him  ?    No,  never ! 
His  fame  shall  forever 
Grow  brighter  with  each  passing  year. 
And  still  of  his  glory, 
That  wonderful  story, 
We  will  tell,  and  his  name  will  revere. 
Eighth  Child.     Trouble  arose  between    France    and    England. 
Washington  was  sent  by  Governor  Dinwiddie,  of  Virginia, 
to  the  French  commander  at  Fort  Duquesne. 
School.    Where  was  that? 

Ninth  Child.    It  was  far  in  the  wilderness.    Pittsburg,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, now  stands  there. 
Children.      Danger  was  lurking  round  him, 
Peril  on  every  side; 
Yet  on  through  the  pathless  forest 
He  went  with  an  Indian  guide. 
And- then,  his  mission  accomplished, 

Back  to  his  home  again; 
Alas,  that  such  weary  journey 
Should  have  been  all  in  vain. 
School.    Why  was  it  in  vain? 
Tenth   Child.     The  French  commander   refused  to  return  to 

Canada,  as  the  Governor  ordered. 
School.    What  happened  then  ? 

Eleventh  Child.  The  King  of  England  sent  soldiers  to  fight  the 
French  and  Indians.  He  thought  they  would  soon  be  able 
to  drive  them  back  to  Canada. 


156  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS 

Children. 

You  know  how  over  the  ocean  then 
Came  Braddock  and  some  of  his  Englishmen, 
With  trappings  and  banners,  brave  and  gay, 
Deeming  the  war  but  childish  play. 

They  laughed  with  scorn  at  each  warning  word. 
And  then,  as  if  they  had  never  heard, 
With  jest  and  laughter,  glad  and  gay, 
Into  the  woodland  marched  away. 

On,  straight  on,  over  quaking  bog; 
Over  the  vine-entangled  log; 
Marching  they  went,  all  blithe  and  free 
Little  dreaming  each  stump  and  tree, 
Dark  and  awful,  and  gaunt  and  grim, 
Hid  lurking  death  in  its  shadows  dim. 
Till  suddenly  all  the  air  was  stirred 
By  the  Indian's  awful  war-whoop  heard; 
And  the  forest  aisles  with  the  dead  were  strewn, 
As  autumn  leaves  by  the  wind  are  blown. 
Their  leader  slain  when  the  fight  begun, 
Then,  faithful  and  brave,  'twas  Washington, 
Who  out  of  the  Indians'  bloody  hand, 
Saved  the  remnant  of  Braddock's  band. 
Thirteenth  Child.    This  war  lasted  a  long  time,  but  at  last  the 
French  were  driven  from  the  country  and  peace  was  de- 
clared. 
School.    What  happened  then? 

Fourteenth  Child.    Not  very  long  afterwards  the  people  of  this 
country  began  to  have  trouble  with  England,  and  at  last 
war  was  declared  between  them. 
Fifteenth  Child.    The  King  of  England  sent  over  a  great  many 

soldiers  to  make  the  people  obey  him. 
School.    What  did  the  people  do  ? 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  157 

Children. 

Like  the  roll  of  distant  thunder, 

And  the  sound  of  rushing  rain, 
The  measured  tramp  of  thousands 

Went  echoing  o'er  the  main. 
And  King  George,  in  far-off  England,— 

From  a  nation  yet  to  be, — 
Heard  in  those  sounds  this  message, 
"We  must  and  will  be — free !" 
School.    What  do  you  know  about  this  war? 
Sixteenth  Child.     I  know  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  war 
Washington  was  made  commander-in-chief  of  the  army, 
and  after  eight  years  of  hard  fighting  the  Americans  gained 
their  independence. 
Children.    A  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Paris,  September  3, 

1783. 
Seventeenth  Child.    But  there  was  still  trouble  in  the  land  be- 
cause each  State  had  its  own  government,  and  now  that 
they  were  free  from  English  rule,  there  were  thirteen  na- 
tions, instead  of  but  one. 
School.    What  was  done  about  this  ? 

Eighteenth  Child.     At  last  they  decided  to  unite  under  one 
ruler,  and  elected  George  Washington  their  first  president. 
Nineteenth  Child.    He  was  inaugurated  April  30,  1789. 
School.    How  long  did  he  hold  this  office? 
Children. 

The  years  were  eight.     How  few  and  brief, 

They  seem  to  count  them  o'er, 
And  then,  his  life  work  nearly  done, 
He  sought  his  home  once  more. 
School.    What  more  can  you  tell  about  him  ? 
Children. 

Few  and  sad  are  the  words  we  say; 
A  nation  mourns  for  her  son  to-day. 
We  listen.     Alas !  'tis  all  in  vain, — 


158  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

For  a  voice  we  ne'er  shall  hear  again; 
For,  honored  and  mourned  by  every  one, 
In  his  last  long  sleep  lies  Washington ! 
Twentieth  Child.     He  died  at  Mount  Vernon,  December  14, 

1799. 
Boys.     First  in  war. 
Girls.    First  in  peace; 

All.       First  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 
Twenty-first  Child.    In  1899  we  had  a  centenary  celebration  in 

honor  of  Washington,  so  greatly  is  his  name  revered. 
All. 

A  century  numbered  with  the  dead, 
Yet  truer  words  were  never  said, 
And  though  he  voiceless  lies  to-day, 
His  life  shall  speak  to  us  for  aye. 
Twenty-second  Child. 

Forever  and  ever  his  life  shall  speak, 
A  glorious  example  to  the  weak; 
And  to  the  brave,  and  strong,  and  true 
He  leaves  a  wondrous  work  to  do. 

Song.    "Be  Like  Washington" By  a  Girl 

[Tune:    "Comin'    Thro'    the   Rye."   Words   and   music,    with   directions   for 
pantomiming   "Comin'   Thro'   the  Rye"    (25c.).] 

Oh,  remember  little  children, 

If,  when  life  is  done, 
You  would  win  a  nation's  praises, 

Be  like  Washington. 
Yes,  like  him,  be  brave  and  earnest, 

Loyal,  kind,  and  true ; 
Vompt  to  act,  and  every  duty 

Be  ready  e'er  to  do. 


When  Washington  declined  a  military  escort  on  the  occasion  of 
his  inauguration  (1789),  he  said:  "I  require  no  guard  but  the 
affections  of  the  people." 


QUOTATIONS 

QUOTATIONS  FROM  WASHINGTON'S  WRITINGS 


Merit  rarely  goes  unrewarded. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 
A  snowball  gathers  by  rolling. 

—To  Bushrod  Washington,  Sept.  30,  1786. 
Precedents  are  dangerous  things. 

—To  Henry  Lee,  Oct.  31,  1786. 
To  please  everybody  is  impossible. 

—To  John  Armstrong,  May  18,  1779. 
System  in  all  things  should  be  aimed  at. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Jan.  7,  1798. 
Whatever  is  done  should  be  well  done. 

— To  William  Pearce,  March  2,  1795. 
One  request  frequently  begets  another. 

— To  Edward  Carrington,  Oct.  9,  1795. 
Perfection  falls  not  to  the  share  of  mortals. 

—To  John  Jay,  Aug.  1,  1786. 
We  must  take  human  nature  as  we  find  it. 

■ — To  John  Jay,  Aug.  1,  1786. 
We  are  apt  to  run  from  one  extreme  to  another. 

— To  John  Jay,  Aug.  1,  1786. 
First  impressions  are  generally  longest  remembered. 

—To  Major-General  Sullivan,  Sept.  1,  1778. 
Men  are  too  apt  to  be  swayed  by  local  prejudices. 

—To  John  Armstrong,  April  25,  1788. 
It  is  not  for  man  to  scan  the  wisdom  of  Providence. 

—To  Henry  Knox,  March  2,  1797, 
To  contract  new  debts  is  not  the  way  to  pay  old  ones. 

—To  James  Welch,  April  7,  1799 
It  is  an  invidious  task  at  all  times  to  draw  comparisons. 

—To  John  Adams,  Sept.  25,  1798 
A  free  people  ought  not  only  to  be  armed,  but  disciplined. 

— From  speech  to  Congress,  Jan.  8,  1790. 
159 


160  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

It  is  not  the  part  of  a  good  citizen  to  despair  of  the  republic. 

— To  the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  Aug.  1,  1786. 

Liberty,  when  it  begins  to  take  root,  is  a  plant  of  rapid  growth. 

— To  James  Madison,  March  2,  1788. 

Better  it  is  to  fight  an  enemy  at  a  distance  than  at  one's  door. 
— To  Governor  Trumbull,  Feb.  19,  1770. 

Preparations  should  be  the  sure  attendant  upon  forewarning. 

—To  Henry  Lee,  Sept.  22,  1788. 

From  thinking  proceeds  speaking,  thence  to  acting  is  but  a  single 
step.  —To  John  Jay,  Aug.  1,  1 786. 

The  surest  way  to  make  good  peace  is  to  be  well-prepared  for 
war.  — To  the  President  of  Congress,  Aug.  20,  1780. 

Economy  begins  partly  from  necessity,  partly  from  choice  and 
habit.  — To  the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  Aug.  1,  1786. 

Knowledge  is  in  every  country  the  surest  basis  of  public  happi- 
ness. — From  speech  to  Congress,  Jan.  8,  1790. 

To  forbear  running  from  one  extreme  into  another  is  no  easy 
matter.  — To  Gouverneur  Morris,  Oct.  13,  1789. 

The  man  who  means  to  commit  no  wrong  will  never  be  guilty 
of  enormities.  — To  David  Stuart,  July  26,  1789. 

Lands,  like  other  commodities,  rise  or  fall  in  proportion  to  the 
quantity  at  market.  — To  Jacob  Reed,  Nov.  3,  1784. 

To  an  active  external  commerce,  the  protection  of  a  naval  force 
is  indispensable.  — From  speech  to  Congress,  Dec.  7,  1796. 

'Tis  much  easier  to  avoid  mischiefs  than  to  apply  remedies  when 
they  have  happened.  — To  Jacob  Reed,  Nov.  3,  1784- 

Middling  land  under  a  man's  own  eye,  is  more  profitable  than 
rich  land  at  a  distance.  — To  John  P.  Cnstis,  July  24,  1776. 

Men  in  most  cases  are  governed  first  by  what  they  feel  and  next 
by  what  they  hope. — To  the  Committee  of  Congress,  Jan.  20,  1779. 

Actions,  not  words,  are  the  true  criterion  of  the  attachment  of 
one's  friends.  — To  Major-General  Sullivan,  Dec.  15,  1779. 

Light  reading  may  amuse  for  the  moment,  but  leaves  nothing 
solid  behind. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Dec.  19,  1796. 

In  a  free  and  republican  government  you  cannot  restrain  the 
voice  of  the  multitude. 

— To  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  Sept.  1,  1778. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  161 

Laws  or  ordinances,  unobserved  or  partially  attended  to,  had 
better  never  have  been  made. 

— To  James  Madison,  March  31,  1757. 
If  we  can  not  learn  wisdom  from  experience,  it  is  difficult  to 
say  where  it  is  to  be  found. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Nov.  10,  1787. 
The  views  or  words  of  men  can  only  be  known  or  guessed  at 
by  their  words  or  actions. 

—To  Patrick  Henry,  Jan.  15,  1799. 
If  real  danger*. threaten  the  country,  no  young  man  ought  to 
be  an  idle  spectator  of  its  defence. 

—To  David  Stuart,  Dec.  30,  1798. 
Candor  is  not  a  more  conspicuous  trait  in  the  character  of  gov- 
ernments than  it  is  of  individuals. 

—To  Timothy  Pickering,  Aug.  29,  1797. 
Do  not  conceive  that  fine  clothes  make  fine  men  any  more  than 
fine  feathers  make  fine  birds. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 
Ignorance  and  design  are  difficult  to  combat,  the  former  being 
a  fit  soil  for  the  latter  to  work  in. 

—To  John  Jay,  May  18,  1786. 
No  punishment  is  too  great  for  the  man  who  can  build  his 
greatness  upon  his  country's  ruin. 

—To  Joseph  Reed,  Dec.  12,  1778. 
Decency  and  cleanliness  will  always  be  the  first  object  in  the 
dress  of  a  judicious  and  sensible  man. 

— To  George  Steptoe  Washington,  March  23,  1789. 
The  idle  'and  foolish  expressions  of  an  individual  does  not  by 
any  means  speak  the  sense  of  the  body. 

— To  the  Rev.  William  Gordon,  Aug.  2,  1779. 
Large  cities  have  their  advantages  and  disadvantages  in  fitting 
a  man  for  the  great  theater  of  public  life. 

— To  John  Augustine  Washington,  Jan.  17,  1783. 
People  are  often  ruined,  before  they  are  aware  of  the  danger, 
by  buying  everything  they  think  they  want. 

—To  Antony  Whiting,  April  21,  1793. 
There  never  was  a  law  yet  made  that  hit  the  taste  exactly  of 
every  man  or  every  part  of  the  community.  • 

— To  Major-General  Daniel  Morgan,  Oct.  8,  17 91/.. 


162  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Happiness  depends  more  upon  the  internal  frame  of  a  person's 
own  mind  than  on  the  externals  in  the  world. 

—To  Mrs.  Mary  Washington,  Feb.  15,  1787. 
When  assertion  stands  against  assertion,  recourse  must  be  had 
to  collateral  circumstances  to  come  at  the  truth. 

— To  Henry  Lee,  June  30,  1792. 
Every  motive   of   self-preservation,   of   liberty,   and   happiness, 
has  a  claim  upon  our  efforts,  and  requires  our  aid. 

— To  Governor  Trumbull,  Aug.   k,  1777. 
I  have  always  considered  marriage  as  the  mos4  interesting  event 
of  one's  life,  the  foundation  of  happiness  or  misery. 

—To  Burwell  B asset t,  May  23,  1785. 
Humanity  will   ever   interfere   and  plead   strongly  against  the 
sacrifice  of  an  innocent  person  for  the  guilt  of  another. 

— To  Major-General  Greene,  Dec.  15,  1781. 
It  is  easier  to  divert  from  a  wrong  to  a  right,  than  it  is  to  recall 
the  hasty  and  fatal  steps  that  have  already  been  taken. 

— To  Joseph  Jones,  March  12,  1783. 
It  is  easy  to  make  acquaintances,  but  very  difficult  to  shake  them 
off,  however  irksome  and  unprofitable  they  are  found. 

— To  Bushrool  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 
Let  your  heart  feel  for  the  afflictions  and  distresses  of  every 
one,  and  let  your  hand  give  in  proportion  to  your  purse. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 
The  cause  of  America  and  liberty  is  the  cause  of  every  virtuous 
American  citizen,  whatever  may  be  his  religion  or  descent. 

— To  the  Inhabitants  of  Canada,  Sept.  1L,  1775. 
Imaginary  wants  are  indefinite  and  oftentimes   insatiable,   be- 
cause they  sometimes  are  boundless  and  always  changing. 

— To  John  Augustine  Washington,  Jan.  16,  1783. 

It  is  our  duty  to  make  the  best  of  our  misfortunes  and  not  to 

suffer  passion  to  interfere  with  our  interest  and  the  public  good. 

— To  Major-General  Heath,  Aug,  28,  1778. 

The  men  who  oppose  a  strong  and  energetic  government,  are 

narrow-minded   politicians,    or   are   under   the   influence   of   local 

views.  — To  Alexander  Hamilton,  July  10,  1787. 

A  brigadier-general  at  the  head  of  his  brigade  is  no  more  than  a 

colonel  at  the  head  of  his  regiment,  except  that  he  acts  upon  a 

larger  scale.  — To  the  President  of  Congress,  Aug.  7,  1776. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  163 

We  ought  not  to  look  back,  unless  it  is  to  derive  useful  lessons 
from  past  errors,  and  for  the  purpose  of  profiting  by  dear-bought 
experience.  — To  Major-General  Armstrong,  March  26,  1781. 

Virtue  or  morality  is  a  necessary  spring  of  popular  government. 
— From  "Farewell  Address  to  the  People  of  the  U.  S.,"  Sept.  17, 
1796. 

It  is  certainly  as  consistent  with  the  policy  of  one  country  to 
discourage  depopulation  as  it  is  for  another  to  encourage  immi- 
gration. —To  Henry  L.  Chorion,  May  20,  1786. 

A  man  may  be  upon  the  brink  of  a  precipice  before  he  is  aware 
of  his  danger,  when  a  little  foreknowledge  might  enable  him  to 
avoid  it.  — To  Alexander  Hamilton,  March  If,  1783. 

To  speak  evil  of  any  one,  unless  there  is  unequivocal  proofs  of 
their  deserving  it,  is  an  injury  for  which  there  is  no  adequate 
reparation. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Oct.  15,  1796. 

To  form  a  new  government  requires  care  and  unbounded  at- 
tention;  for,  if  the  foundation  is  badly  laid,  the  superstructure 
must  be  bad. 

— To  John  Augustine  Washington,  May  SI,  1776. 

When  a  people  shall  have  become  incapable  of  governing  them- 
selves and  fit  for  a  master,  it  is  of  little  consequence  from  what 
quarter  he  comes. 

— To  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  April  28,  17 SS. 

No  pecuniary  consideration  is  more  urgent  than  the  regular 
redemption  and  discharge  of  public  debt;  on  none  can  delay  be 
more  injurious. 

— To  House  of  Representatives,  Dec.  3,  1793. 

Fiction  is  the  very  life  and  soul  of  poetry— all  poets  and 
poetesses  have  been  indulged  in  the  free  and  indisputable  use  of 
it,  time  out  of  mind. 

—To  Mrs.  Richard  Stockton,  Sept.  3,  1783. 

Love  may  and  ought  to  be  under  the  guidance  of  reason,  for 
although  we  cannot  avoid  first  impressions,  we  may  assuredly 
place  them  under  guard. 

— To  Eleanor  Parke  Custis,  June  16,  1795. 

The  distinction  between  a  well-regulated  army  and  a  mob,  is 
the  good  order  and  discipline  of  the  first,  and  the  licentious  and 
disorderly  behavior  of  the  latter. 

— To  Major-General  Putnam,  Aug.  25,  1776. 


164  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

There  is  nothing  that  gives  a  man  consequence  and  renders  him 
fit  for  command,  like  a  support  that  renders  him  independent  of 
everybody  but  the  state  he  serves. 

— To  the  President  of  Congress,  Sept.  21/,  1776. 

True  friendship  is  a  plant  of  slow  growth ;  to  be  sincere  there 
must  be  congeniality  of  temper  and  pursuits.  Virtue  and  vice 
cannot  be  allied,  nor  can  idleness  and  industry. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Oct.  15,  1796. 

It  is  natural  for  those  who  have  passed  the  meridian  of  life  and 
are  descending  into  the  shades  of  darkness  to  make  arrangements 
for  the  disposal  of  the  property  of  which  they  are  possessed. 

— To  George  Augustine  Washington,  Oct.  25,  1786. 

The  cause  of  virtue  and  liberty  is  confined  to  no  continent  or 
climate.  It  comprehends,  within  its  capacious  limits,  the  wise  and 
good,  however  dispersed  and  separated  in  space  or  distance. 

— To  the  Inhabitants  of  Bermuda,  Sept.  6,  1775. 

It  has  been  a  spectacle,  displaying  to  the  highest  advantage  the 
value  of  republican  government,  to  behold  the  most  and  least 
wealthy  of  our  citizens  standing  in  the  same  ranks  as  private 
soldiers.  — From  speech  to  Congress,  Nov.  19,  1791/.. 

In  the  composition  of  the  human  frame  there  is  a  good  deal  of 
inflammable  matter,  however  dormant  it  may  lie  for  a  time ;  and 
when  the  torch  is  put  to  it,  that  which  is  within  you  may  burst 
into  a  blaze.  — To  Eleanor  Parke  Custis,  June  16,  1795. 

The  militia  of  this  country  must  be  considered  as  the  palladium 
of  our  security,  and  the  first  effectual  resort  in  case  of  hostility. 
— From  address  to  the  Governors  of  all  the  States  on  disbanding 
the  Army,  June  8,  1783. 

It  is  only  in  our  united  character  as  an  empire  that  our  inde- 
pendence is  acknowledged,  that  our  power  can  be  regarded  or  our 
credit  supported  among  the  nations. — From  address  to  the  Gov- 
ernors of  all  the  States  on  disbanding  the  Army,  June  8,  1783. 

There  must  be  a  faithful  and  pointed  compliance  on  the  part 
of  every  State  with  the  proposals  and  demands  of  Congress  or  the 
most  fatal  consequences  will  ensue. — From  address  to  the  Gov- 
ernors of  all  the  States  on  disbanding  the  Army,  June  8,  1783. 

The  crisis  is  arrived  when  we  must  assert  our  rights,  or  sub- 
mit to  every  imposition,  that  can  be  heaped  upon  us,  till  custom 
and  use  shall  make  us  as  tame  and  abject  slaves  as  the  blacks  we 
rule  over  with  such  arbitrary  sway. 

— To  Bryan  Fairfax,  Aug.  21/,  171 %. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  165 

Conscience  seldom  comes  to  a  man's  aid  while  he  is  in  the  zenith 
of  health  and  revelling  in  pomp  and  luxury  upon  ill-gotten  spoils. 
It  is  generally  the  last  act  of  his  life  and  comes  too  late  to  be  of 
much  service  to  others  here  or  himself  hereafter. 

—To  John  P.  Poxey,  Aug.  7,  17S2. 

It  is  natural  for  young  married  people,  who  are  launching  into 
life,  to  look  forward  to  a  permanent  establishment.  If  they  are 
prudent,  they  will  be  reasonably  solicitous  to  provide  for  those  who 
come  after  and  have  a  right  to  look  to  them  for  support. 

— To  George  Augustine  Washington,  Oct.  25,  17S6. 

Let  your  judgment  always  balance  well  before  you  decide ;  and, 
even  then,  where  there  is  no  occasion  for  expressing  an  opinion, 
it  is  best  to  be  silent,  for  there  is  nothing  more  certain  than  that 
it  is  at  all  times  more  easy  to  make  enemies  than  friends. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Oct.  15,  1796. 

Whatever  may  be  conceded  to  the  influence  of  refined  education 
on  minds  of  peculiar  structure,  reason  and  experience  both  forbid 
us  to  expect  that  national  morality  can  prevail  in  exclusion  of 
religious  principle. — From  "Farewell  Address  to  the  People  of  the 
U.  S.,"  Sept.  17,  1796. 

The  foundation  of  our  empire  was  not  laid  in  the  gloomy  age 
of  ignorance  and  superstition,  but  at  an  epoch  when  the  rights  of 
mankind  were  better  understood  and  more  clearly  defined  than  at 
any  former  period. — From  address  to  the  Governors  of  all  the 
States  on  disbanding  the  Army,  June  8,  17S3. 

Rise  early  that  by  habit  it  may  become  familiar,  agreeable, 
healthy  and  profitable.  It  may  for  a  while  be  irksome  to  do  this, 
but  that  will  wear  off,  and  the  practice  will  produce  a  rich  harvest 
forever  thereafter,  whether  in  public  or  private  walks  of  life. 

— To  George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  Jan.  7,  1798. 

Be  courteous  to  all,  but  intimate  with  few ;  and  let  those  few 
be  well  tried  before  you  give  them  your  confidence.  True  friend- 
ship is  a  plant  of  slow  growth,  and  must  undergo  and  Avithstand 
the  shocks  of  adversity  before  it  is  entitled  to  the  appellation. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 

Whatever  measures  have  a  tendency  to  dissolve  the  Union  or 
contribute  to  violate  or  lessen  the  sovereign  authority,  ought  to 
be  considered  as  hostile  to  the  liberty  and  independence  of  America, 
and  the  authors  of  them  treated  accordingly. — From  address  to  the 
Governors  of  all  the  States  on  disbanding  the  Army,  June  8,  1783. 


166  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Gaming  is  a  vice  which  is  productive  of  every  possible  evil, 
equally  injurious  to  the  morals  and  health  of  its  votaries.  It  is 
the  child  of  avarice,  the  brother  of  iniquity,  and  the  father  of 
mischief.  It  has  been  the  ruin  of  many  worthy  families,  the  loss 
of  many  a  man's  honor,  and  the  cause  of  suicide. 

— To  Bushrod  Washington,  Jan.  15,  1783. 

The  basis  of  our  political  systems  is  the  right  of  the  people  to 
make  and  alter  their  constitutions  of  government.  But  the  con- 
stitution, which  at  any  time  exists,  'till  changed  by  an  explicit  and 
authentic  act  of  the  whole  people,  is  sacredly  obligatory  upon  all. 
— From  "Farewell  Address  to  the  People  of  the  U.  S./'  Sept.  17, 
1796. 

It  is  indispensable  to  the  happiness  of  the  individual  States  that 
there  should  be  lodged  somewhere  a  supreme  power  to  regulate 
and  govern  the  general  concerns  of  the  confederated  republic  with- 
out which  the  Union  cannot  be  of  long  duration. — From  address 
to  the  Governors  of  all  the  States  on  disbanding  the  Army,  June 
8,  1783. 

If  laws  are  to  be  so  trampled  upon  with  impunity,  and  a  minority 
is  to  dictate  to  the  majority,  there  is  an  end  put  at  one  stroke  to 
republican  government,  and  nothing  but  anarchy  and  confusion 
are  to  be  expected.  Some  other  man  or  society  may  dislike  an- 
other law  and  oppose  it  with  equal  propriety  until  all  laws  are 
prostrate  and  every  one  will  carve  for  himself. 

— To  Charles  M.  Thurston,  Aug.  10,  17  9  J/.. 

The  difference  of  conduct  between  the  friends  and  foes  of 
order  and  good  government,  is  in  nothing  more  striking  than  that 
the  latter  are  always  working  like  bees  to  distil  their  poison, 
whilst  the  former,  depending  oftentimes  too  much  and  too  long 
upon  the  sense  and  good  dispositions  of  the  people  to  work  con- 
viction, neglect  the  means  of  effecting  it. 

— To  Alexander  Hamilton,  July  29,  1795. 

Let  us  unite  in  imploring  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  nations  to 
spread  His  holy  protection  over  these  United  States;  to  turn  the 
machinations  of  the  wicked  to  the  confirming  of  our  Constitution ; 
to  enable  us  at  all  times  to  root  out  internal  sedition  and  put  in- 
vasion to  flight ;  to  perpetuate  to  our  country  that  prosperity  which 
His  goodness  has  already  conferred;  and  to  verify  the  anticipa- 
tions of  this  government  being  a  safeguard  to  human  rights. 

— From  speech  to  Congress,  Nov.  19,  1794. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  167 

QUOTATIONS  ABOUT  WASHINGTON. 


Virginia  gave  us  this  imperial  man, 
Cast  in  the  massive  mold 
Of  those  high-statured  ages  old 
Which  into  grander  forms  our  metal  ran; 
She  gave  us  this  unblemished  gentleman. 
Soldier  and  statesman,  rarest  unison; 
Broad-minded,  higher-souled,  there  is  but  one 
Who  was  all  this  and  ours,  and  all  men's — Washington. 

— James  Russell  Lowell. 
There  is  Franklin,  with  his  first  proposal  of  Continental  union. 
There  is  James  Otis,  with  his  great  argument  against  Writs  of 
Assistance,  and  Samuel  Adams,  with  his  inexorable  demand  for 
the  removal  of  the  British  regiments  from  Boston.  There  is 
Quincy,  and  there  is  Warren,  the  protomartyr  of  Bunker  Hill. 
There  is  Jefferson,  with  the  Declaration  of  Independence  fresh 
from  his  pen,  and  John  Adams  close  at  his  side.  There  Hamilton 
and  Madison  and  Jay  bringing  forward  the  Constitution ;  hut,  tow- 
ering above  them  all  is  Washington,  the  consummate  commander, 
the  incomparable  President,  the  world-renowned  patriot. 

— Robert  C.  Winthrop. 
An  Englishman  by  race  and  lineage,  Washington  incarnated  in 
his  own  person  and  character  every  best  trait  and  attribute  that 
have  made  the  Anglo-Saxon  name  a  glory  to  its  children  and  a 
terror  to  its  enemies  throughout  the  world.  But  he  was  not  so 
much  an  Englishman  that,  when  the  time  came  for  him  to  be  so, 
he  was  not  even  more  an  American;  and  in  all  that  he  was  and 
did,  a  patriot  so  exalted,  and  a  leader  so  wise  and  great,  that  what 
men  called  him  when  he  came  to  be  inaugurated  as  the  first  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  the  civilized  world  has  not  since  then 
ceased  to  call  him — The  Father  of  His  Country. 

— Bishop  Henry  C.  Potter. 
There  is  no  need  to  argue  the  truism  that  Washington  was  a 
great  man,  for  that  is  universally  admitted.  But  it  is  very  needful 
that  his  genius  should  be  rightly  understood,  and  the  right  under- 
standing of  it  is  by  no  means  universal.  His  character  has  been 
exalted  at  the  expense  of  his  intellect,  and  his  goodness  has  been 
so  much  insisted  upon  both  by  admirers  and  critics  that  we  are 
in  danger  of  forgetting  that  he  had  a  great  mind  as  well  as  high 
moral  worth.  — Henry  Cabot  Lodge. 


168  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

There  is  something'  unique  in  Washington's  character.  Most  of 
the  great  men  in  history — the  founders  of  religions,  the  lawgivers, 
the  empire-builders — appear  superhuman.  In  Washington,  we 
'find  a  man  who  seemed  hardly  above  the  average.  He  does  not 
appear  so  even  in  the  legends  which  cling  to  his  memory.  Yet 
he  accomplished  a  work  which  bids  fair  to  last  to  all  future  time. 
It  was  accomplished  by  a  combination  of  unselfish  virtue,  of  faith- 
ful attention  to  duty,  of  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  humanity,  com- 
bined with  a  manner  and  personality  absolutely  charming  in  its 
simplicity.  — Berlin  National  Zeitung,  Dec.,  1899. 

Where  may  the  wearied  eye  repose, 

When  gazing  on  the  great, 
Where  neither  guilty  glory  glows 

Nor  despicable  state? 
Yes — one,  the  first,  the  last,  the  best, 
The  Cincinnatus  of  the  West, 

Whom  envy  dared  not  hate, 
Bequeathed  the  name  of  Washington 
To  make  man  blush ;  there  was  but  one. 

■ — Lord  Byron. 

With  the  sure  sagacity  of  a  leader  of  men,  Washington  at  once 
selected,  for  the  highest  and  most  responsible  stations,  the  three 
chief  Americans  who  represented  the  three  forces  in  the  nation 
which  alone  could  command  success  in  the  institution  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Hamilton  was  the  head,  Jefferson  was  the  heart,  and 
John  Jay  was  the  conscience.  Washington's  just  and  serene 
ascendancy  was  the  lambent  flame  in  which  these  beneficent  powers 
were  fused,  and  nothing  less  than  that  ascendancy  could  have 
ridden  the  whirlwind  and  directed  the  storm  that  burst  around 
him.  — George  William  Curtis. 

The  name  of  Washington  is  intimately  blended  with  whatever 
belongs  most  essentially  to  the  prosperity,  the  liberty,  the  free  insti- 
tutions, and  the  renown  of  our  country.  That  name  was  of 
power  to  rally  a  nation,  in  the  hour  of  thick-thronging  public  dis- 
asters and  calamities;  that  name  shone,  amid  the  storm  of  war,  a 
beacon  light  to  cheer  and  guide  the  country's  friends ;  it  flamed, 
too,  like  a  meteor  to  repel  her  foes.  That  name,  in  the  days  of 
peace,  was  a  loadstone,  attracting  to  itself  a  whole  people's  confi- 
dence, a  whole  people's  love,  and  the  whole  world's  respect. 

— Daniel  Webster. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  169 

To  lead  a  people  in  revolution  wisely  and  successfully,  without 
ambition  and  without  a  crime,  demands,  indeed,  lofty  genius  and 
unbending  virtue.  But  to  build  their  state, — amid  the  angry  con- 
flict of  passion  and  prejudice  and  unreasonable  apprehension,  the 
incredulity  of  many,  and  the  grave  doubt  of  all,  to  organize  for 
them  and  peacfully  to  inaugurate  a  complete  and  satisfactory  gov- 
ernment,— this  is  the  greatest  service  that  a  man  can  render  to 
mankind.    But  this  also  is  the  glory  of  Washington. 

— George  William  Curtis. 
If  we  look  over  the  catalogue  of  the  first  magistrates  of  nations, 
whether  Presidents,  or  Consuls,  Kings  or  Princes,  where  shall  we 
find  one  whose  commanding  talents  and  virtues,  whose  overruling 
good  fortune  have  so  completely  united  all  hearts  and  voices  in 
his  favor?  Qualities  so  uncommon  are  no  common  blessing  to 
the  country  that  possesses  them.  By  these  great  qualities,  and 
their  benign  effects,  has  Providence  marked  out  the  head  of  this 
nation,  with  a  hand  so  distinctively  visible  as  to  have  been  seen 
by  all  men,  and  mistaken  by 'none.  — John  Adams. 

Hark !  what  song  is  that  high  swelling, 
Like  an  anthem  dropped  from  heaven, 
Of  some  joyful  tidings  telling, 

Some  rich  boon  to  mankind  given? 
'Tis  a  happy  people,  singing 

Thanks  for  Freedom's  victory  won; 
Valley,  forest,  mountain  ringing 

With  one  name, — great  Washington. 

Washington  the  warrior  and  the  legislator !  In  war  contending 
for  the  independence  of  his  country  and  for  the  freedom  of  the 
human  race;  ever  manifesting  amidst  its  horrors,  by  precept  and 
example,  his  reverence  for  the  laws  of  peace  and  the  tenderest 
sympathies  of  humanity :  in  peace  soothing  the  ferocious  spirit  of 
discord  among  his  countrymn  into  harmony  and  union  ;■  and  giving 
to  that  very  sword,  now  presented  to  his  country,  a  charm  more 
potent  than  that  attributed,  in  ancient  times,  to  the  lyre  of  Orpheus. 

— John  Quincy  Adams. 

With  us  Washington's  memory  remains  a  national  property, 
where  all  sympathies  meet  in  unison.  Under  all  dissensions  and 
amid  all  storms  of  party,  his  precepts  and  examples  speak  to  us 
from  the  grave  with  a  paternal  appeal;  and  his  name — by  all  re- 
vered— forms  a  universal  tie  of  brotherhood, — a  watchword  of  our 
Union.  — John  Fiske. 


170  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

« 

O  Washington !  to  thee, 
Our  country's  Father  we 

Hallow  this  day; 
Our  gratitude  we  prove, 
Singing  the  song  you  love; 
Oh,  join  us  from  above — 
God  save  our  land ! 

— Emma  Willard. 
The  peculiarity  and  strength  of  Washington's  character  and  the 
key  to  his  success  is  the  great  self-possession  and  calmness  that 
enabled  him  to  judge  and  to  act  with  foresight  and  confidence  im- 
possible to  men  of  equally  forcible  traits,  who  were  less  disciplined 
and  self-controled.  Other  men  have  had  a  great  military  genius, 
more  intellectual  capacity,  more  sympathetic  influence  over  men, 
but  of  him  it  is  to  be  said,  "Better  is  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit  than 
he  that  taketh  a  city."  — Rose  Terry  Cooke. 

Of  all  the  great  men  in  history,  Washington  was  the  most  in- 
variably judicious.  He  never  acted  on  the  impulse  of  an  absorb- 
ing or  uncalculating  enthusiasm,  and  he  valued  very  highly  for- 
tune, position,  and  reputation,  but  at  the  command  of  duty  he  was 
ready  to  risk  and  sacrifice  them  all.  He  was,  in  the  highest  sense 
of  the  word,  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  honor,  and  he  carried  into 
public  life  the  severest  standard  of  private  morals. 

■ — William  E.  H.  Lecky. 
For  tho'  the  years  their  golden  round 
O'er  all  the  lavish  region  roll. 
And  realm  on  realm,  from  pole  to  pole, 
In  one  beneath  thy  Stars  be  bound, 
The  far-off  centuries  as  they  flow, 
No  whiter  name  than  this  shall  know  ! 

— Francis  T.  Pal  grave. 
Washington's  appointments,  when  President,  were  made  with  a 
view  to  gather  all  the  talent  of  the  country  in  support  of  the 
national  government;  and  he  bore  many  things  which  were  per- 
sonally disagreeable  in  an  endeavor  to  do  this. 

— Paul  Leicester  Ford. 
For  truth  and  wisdom,  foremost  of  the  brave ; 
Him  glory's  idle  glances  dazzled  not ; 
'Twas  his  ambition,  generous  and  great, 
A  life  to  life's  great  end  to  consecrate. 

— Percy  Bysshe  Shelley. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  171 

Our  own  Washington  rises  to  a  truly  heavenly  stature,  not  when 
we  follow  him  over  the  ice  of  the  Delaware  to  the  capture  of 
Trenton,  not  when  we  behold  him  victorious  over  Cornwallis  at 
Yorktown,  but  when  we  regard  him,  in  noble  deference  to  justice, 
refusing  the  kingly  crown  which  a  faithless  soldiery  proffered; 
and,  at  a  later  day,  upholding  the  peaceful  neutrality  of  the  coun- 
try while  he  received  unmoved  the  clamor  of  the  people  wickedly 
crying  for  war.  ■ — Charles  Sumner. 

In  other  countries,  whenever  and*  wherever  this  country  is 
spoken  of  to  be  praised,  and  with  the  highest  praise,  it  is  called 
the  country  of  Washington.  Still  Washington  retains  his  preem- 
inent place  in  the  minds  of  men,  still  his  peerless  name  is  cherished 
by  them  in  the  same  freshness  of  delight  as  in  the  morn  of  its 
glory.  — Asher  Robbins. 

He  lives,  ever  lives  in  the  hearts  of  the  free, 
The  wings  of  his  fame  spread  across  the  broad  sea ; 
He  lives  where  the  banner  of  freedom's  unfurled, 
The  pride  of  his  country,  the  wealth  of  the  world. 

— Alfred  Tennyson. 
Washington  served  us  chiefly  by  his  sublime  moral  qualities. 
To  him  belonged  the  proud  distinction  of  being  the  leader  in  a 
revolution,  without  awakening  one  doubt  or  solicitude  as  to  the 
spotless  purity  of  his  purpose.  By  an  instinct  which  is  unerring, 
we  call  Washington,  with  grateful  reverence,  The  Father  of  His 
Country.  — William  E.  Channing. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  historian  and  the  sage,  in  all  ages,  to 
let  no  occasion  pass  of  commemorating  this  illustrious  man ;  and 
until  time  shall  be  no  more,  will  a  test  of  the  progress  which  our 
race  has  made  in  wisdom  and  in  virtue  be  derived  from  the  ven- 
eration paid  to  the  immortal  name  of  Washington  ! 

— Lord  Brougham. 
The  life  of  our  Washington  cannot  suffer  by  a  comparison  with 
those  of  other  countries  who  have  been  most  celebrated  and  ex- 
alted by  fame.     His  example  is  now  complete,  and  it  will  teach 
wisdom  and  virtue  to  magistrates,  citizens,  and  men,  not  only  in 
the  present  age,  but  in  all  future  generations,  as  long  as  our  his- 
tory shall  be  read.  — John  Adams. 
Not  for  him  an  earthly  crown : 
He  whose  sword  hath  freed  a  nation, 
Strikes  the  offered  scepter  down. 

— Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 


J 72  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

The  good,  the  brave, 
Whose  mighty  dust  in  glory  sleeps, 
Where  broad  Potomac  swells  and  sweeps, 
And  mourns  and  murmurs  past  his  grave. 

— Abraham  Coles. 
Washington  was  the  only  man  in  the  United  States  who  possessed 
the  confidence  of  all.  And  it  may  be  truly  said  that  never  did 
nature  and  fortune  combined  more  perfectly  to  make  a  man  great, 
and  to  place  him  in  the  same  constellation  with  whatever  worthies 
have  merited  from  man  an  everlasting  remembrance. 

— Thomas  Jefferson. 
Washington  was  not  only  a  noble  man,  he  was  a  unique  man. 
Princes  admired  him,  historians  of  all  nations  recorded  his  deeds, 
the  poets  were  inspired  by  him,  his  contemporaries  loved  him, 
the  later  generations  idolized  him.  To  him  his  country  owes  its 
past,  its  present,  its  future. 

— Amsterdam  Nieuws  van  den  Dag/Dec.,  1899, 
Nor  must  it  'be  supposed  that  Washington  owed  his  greatness 
to  the  peculiar  crisis  which  called  out  his  virtues.  His  more  than 
Roman  virtues,  his  consummate  prudence,  his  powerful  intellect, 
and  his  dauntless  decision  and  dignity  of  character,  would  have 
made  him  illustrious  in  any  age.  — William  Wirt. 

He  was  not  an  orator;  he  was  not  a  man  of  great  learning;  he 
was  not  a  brilliant  genius,  but  he  did  the  things  which  orators  and 
poets  and  historians  are  proud  to  chronicle.  His  strength  was  in 
himself,  and  he  moved  the  world  by  the  power  of  his  character. 

— Thomas  M.  Clark,  D.  D. 
*     *     *     though  often  told, 
The  story  of  thy  deeds  can  ne'er  grow  old, 
Till  no  young  breast  remains  to  be  inspired, 
And  virtue,  valor,  greatness  have  expired. 

— Hannah  Gould. 
The  fame  of  Washington  stands  apart  from  every  other  in  his- 
tory, shining  with  a  truer  lustre  and  more  benignant  glory.     To 
act  justly  was  his  instinct,  to  promote  the  public  weal  his  constant 
effort,  to  deserve  the  affection  of  good  men  his  ambition. 

— Washington  Irving. 

Love  of  country  in  him  was  invested  with  the  sacred  obligation 

of  a  duty;  and  from  the  faithful  discharge  of  this  duty  he  never 

swerved  for  a  moment,  either  in  thought  or  deed,  through  the 

whole  period  of  his  eventful  career.  — Tared  Sparks. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  173 

Shortest  month  of  all,  we  greet  thee; 

Bring  us  clouds  or  bring  us  sun, 
Surely  all  will  bid  thee  welcome, 
Month  that  gave  us  Washington! 

■ — -Emma  C.  Dozvd. 
The  majesty  of  that  life — whether  told  in  the  pages  of  Marshall 
or  Sparks,  of  Irving  or  Bancroft,  or  through  the  eloquent  utter- 
ances of  Webster,  or  Everett,  or  Winthrop,  or  the  matchless  poetry 
of  Lowell,  or  the  verse  of  Byron — never  grows  old. 

— Chief  Justice  Melville  Fuller. 
His  work  well  done,  the  leader  stepped  aside, 
Spurning  a  crown  with  more  than  kingly  pride, 
Content  to  wear  the  higher  crown  of  worth, 
While  time  endures,  "First  Citizen  of  Earth." 

— James  J.  Roche. 

We  have  produced  a  Washington,  whose  memory  will  be  adored 

while  liberty  shall  have  a  votary,  whose  name  shall  triumph  over 

time,  and  will  in  future  ages  assume  its  just  place  among  the 

most  celebrated  worthies  of  the  world. 

— Thomas  Jefferson. 
Men  are  beginning  to  feel  that  Washington  stands  out,  not  only 
as  the  leading  American,  but  as  the  leading  man  of  the  race.  Of 
men  not  named  in  Sacred  Scripture,  more  human  beings  this  day 
know  and  honor  the  name  of  George  Washington  than  that  of 
any  other  of  the  sons  of  men.  — Charles  F.  Deems. 

The  sword  of  Washington !  It  was  never  drawn  except  in  de- 
fence of  the  public  liberty.  It  was  never  sheathed,  until  a  glorious 
and  triumphant  success  returned  it  to  the  scabbard  without  a  stain 
of  cruelty  or  dishonor  upon  its  blade.  It  was  never  surrendered 
except  to  that  country  which  bestowed  it. 
The  grandest,  purest,  best, 

Of  heroes,  earth  has  known, 
That  man  who  for  his  country's  sake, 
Spurned  from  him  crown  and  throne. 

■ — C.  G.  Rosenburg. 
He  saved  his  land,  but  did  not  lay  his  soldier  trappings  down 
To  change  them  for  a  regal  vest,  and  don  a  kingly  crown. 
Fame  was  too  earnest  in  her  joy,  too  proud  of  such  a  son, 
To  let  a  robe  and  title  mask  her  noble  Washington. 

— Eliza  Cook. 


174  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Washington's  integrity  was  most  pure,  his  justice  most  inflex- 
ible; no  motives  of  interest,  or  consanguinity,  or  hatred  being 
able  to  bias  his  decision.  He  was,  in  every  sense  of  the  words, 
a  wise,  a  good,  and  a  great  man.  — Thomas  Jefferson. 

Washington  hath  left 
His  awful  memory 
A  light  for  after  times. 

— Robert  Southey. 

His  memory  is  first  and  most  sacred  in  our  love,  and  ever  here- 
after, till  the  last  drop  of  blood  shall  freeze  in  the  last  American 
heart,  his  name  shall  be  a  spell  of  power  and  of  might. 

— Rufns  Choate. 

The  mighty  name  of  Washington 
Is  the  grand  synonym  of  all  we  prize 
Of  great  and  good  in  this  wide  western  world. 

— Christopher  P.  Crane h. 

When  the  storm  of  battle  blows  darkest  and  rages  highest,  the 
memory  of  Washington  shall  nerve  every  American  arm  and  cheer 
every  American  breast.  — Rnfus  Choate. 

Never  can  we  fully  appreciate  the  merits  of  a  Washington  who, 
with  but  a  handful  of  undisciplined  yeomanry,  triumphed  over  a 
royal  army,  and  prostrated  the  Lion  of  England  at  the  feet  of 
the  American  Eagle.  — William  Henry  Harrison. 

The  anniversary  of  his  birthday  does  not  come  round  too  often 
for  us  to  devote  some  hour  of  it,  whenever  it  returns,  to  medita- 
tion upon  him  and  to  gratitude  for  his,  spirit  and  his  work. 

— Thomas  Starr  King. 

The  more  clearly  Washington's  teaching  and  example  are  un- 
derstood, the  more  faithfully  they  are  followed,  the  purer,  the 
stronger,  the  more  glorious  will  this  Republic  become. 

— Carl  Schurz. 

Sincerely  honoring  him,  we  cannot  become  indifferent  to  those 
great  principles  of  human  freedom,  consecrated  by  his  life,  and 
by  the  solemn  act  of  his  last  will  and  testament. 

— Charles  Sumner. 

The  filial  love  of  Washington  for  his  mother  is  an  attribute  of 
American  manhood,  a  badge  which  invites  our  trust  and  confidence 
and  an  indispensable  element  of  American  greatness. 

— Grover  Cleveland. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  175 

All  the  good,  whether  learned  or  unlearned,  high  or  low,  rich 
or  poor,  feel  this  day  that  there  is  one  treasure  common  to  us  all, 
and  that  is  the  fame  and  character  of  Washington. 

— Daniel  Webster. 
Freedom's  first  and  favorite  son — 
He  whose  patriotic  valor  universal  homage  won — 
He  who  gave  the  world  the  Union — the  immortal  Washington ! 

— Francis  DeHass  Janvier. 
In  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  when  it  was  thought  the  cause 
was  lost,  men  became  inspired  at  the  very  mention  of  the  name 
of  George  Washington.  — General  Horace  Porter. 

His  great  fame  rests  on  the  solid  foundation  that  while  he  was 
careful  to  avoid  doing  wrong  to  others,  he  was  prompt  and  de- 
cided in  repelling  wrong.  — John  C.  Calhoun. 
Oh,  Washington !  thou  hero,  patriot,  sage, 
Friend  of  all  climes  and  pride  of  every  age ! 

■ — Thomas  Paine. 

His  memory  will  be  cherished  by  the  wise  and  good  of  every 
nation,  and  truth  will  transmit  his  character  to  posterity  in  all  its 
genuine  lustre.  — John  Jay. 

Washington — a  fixed  star  in  the  firmament  of  great  names,  shin- 
ing without  twinkling  or  obscuration,  with  clear,  steady,  beneficent 
light.  • — Daniel  Webster. 

A  pure  and  high-minded  gentleman,  of  dauntless  courage  and 
stainless  honor,  simple  and  stately  of  manner,  kind  and  generous 
of  heart.  — Henry  Cabot  Lodge. 

Washington  is  the  mightiest  name  of  ■earth,  long  since  mightiest 
in  the  cause  of  civil  liberty,  still  mightiest  in  moral  reformation. 

— Abraham  Lincoln. 

Among  a  world  of  dreamers  he  was  the  only  one  whose  vision 

in  the  slightest  degree  approached  the  great  realities  of  the  future. 

— Edzvard  Everett  Hale. 
While  we  commend  the  character  and  example  of  Washington 
to  others,  let  us  not  forget  to  imitate  it  ourselves. 

— R.  C.  Winthrop. 
The  voice  of  mankind  shall  ascend  in  acclaim, 
And  the  watchword  of  nations  be  Washington's  name. 

— James  G.  Brooks. 
No  nobler  figure  ever  stood  in  the  forefront  of  a  nation's  life. 

: — John  Richard  Green, 


176  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Washington's  name  has  sunk  deep  into  the  hearts  of  mankind, 
It  is  continually  whispering  lessons  of  patriotism  and  of  virtue. 

— /.  /.  Crittenden. 
The  universal  consent  of  mankind  accords  to  Washington  the 
highest  place  among  the  great  men  of  the  race. 

— George  F.  Hoar. 
Columbia's  darling  son, 
The  good,  the  great,  the  matchless  Washington. 

—William  Leggett. 
Here  indeed  is  a  character  to  admire  and  revere;  a  life  without 
a  stain,  a  fame  without  a  flaw. 

— William  Makepeace  Thackeray. 
George  Washington — the  highest  human  personification  of  jus- 
tice and  benevolence.  — William  H.  Seward. 
I  am  not  surprised  at  what  George  has  done,  for  he  was  always 
a  good  boy.                                     — Mary  Washington,  his  mother. 
He  had  every  title  at  command,  but  his  first  victory  was  over 
himself.  — Gouverneur  Morris. 
He  was  invested  with  a  glory  that  shed  a  lustre  on  all  around 
him.                                                              ■ — Archbishop  John  Carroll. 
Washington — the  ideal  type  of  civic  virtue  to  succeeding  gener- 
ations. — James  Bryce. 
He  was  great  as  he  was  good;  he  was  great  because  he  was 
good.                                                                        — Edward  Everett. 
First  in  war,  first  in  peace,  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 

— Henry  Lee. 
Of  all  great  men  he  was  the  most  virtuous  and  most  fortunate. 

Francois  Guizot. 
Washington  is  to  my  mind  the  purest  figure  in  history. 

— William  Ewart  Gladstone. 
Washington — the  greatest  man  of  our  own  or  of  any  age. 

— Edward  Everett. 
In  this  world  the  seal  is  now  put  on  his  greatness. 

— Alexander  Hamilton. 
One  of  the  greatest  captains  of  the  age. 

— Benjamin  Franklin. 


The  greatest  man  of  modern  times. 


— Sir  Henry  Grattan. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  177 

WRITS  OF  ASSISTANCE. 


James  Otis. 

[1725-17S3.] 


May  it  please  your  Honors  :  I  was  desired  by  the  court  to 
consider  the  question  concerning  the  Writs  of  Assistance.  I  have 
considered  it.  I  appear  not  only  in  obedience  to  your  order,  but 
likewise  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  and  out  of 
regard  to  the  liberties  of  the  subject.  I  was  solicited  to  argue  this 
case  as  Advocate-General;  and,  because  I  would  not,  I  have  been 
charged  with  desertion  from  my  office.  I  renounced  that  office, 
and  I  argue  this  cause  with  the  greater  pleasure,  as  it  is  in  favor 
of  British  liberty,  at  a  time  when  we  hear  the  greatest  monarch 
on  earth  declaring  from  his  throne  that  he  glories  in  the  name  of 
Briton,  and  that  the  privileges  of  his  people  are  dearer  to  him 
than  the  most  valuable  prerogatives  of  his  crown.  I  "argue  in 
opposition  to  a  kind  of  power,  the  exercise,  of  which  in  former 
periods  of  history  cost  one  King  of  England  his  head  and  another 
his  crown. 

The  writ  prayed  for  in  this  petition  is  illegal.  It  is  a  power  that 
places  the  liberty  of  every  man  in  the  hands  of  every  petty  officer. 
I  admit  that  special  Writs  of  Assistance,  to  search  special  places, 
may  be  granted  to  certain  persons  on  oath;  but  I  deny  that  the 
writ  now  prayed  for  can  be  granted. 

In  the  first  place,  the  writ  is  universal,  being  directed  "to  all 
and  singular  justices,  sheriff's,  constables,  and  all  other  officers  and 
subjects;"  so  that,  in  short,  it  is  directed  to  every  subject  in  the 
King's  domains.  Every  one  with  this  writ  may  be  a  tyrant,  who 
may  control,  imprison,  or  murder  any  one  within  the  realm.  In 
the  second  place,  it  is  perpetual;  there  is  no  return.  A  man  is 
accountable  to  no  person  for  his  doings.  Every  man  may  reign 
secure  in  his  petty  tyranny,  and  spread  terror  and  desolation 
around  him.  In  the  third  place,  a  person  with  this  writ,  in  the 
daytime,  may  enter  all  houses,  shops,  etc.,  at  will,  and  command 


178  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

all  to  assist  him.  Fourthly,  by  this  writ  not  only  deputies,  etc., 
but  even,  their  menial  servants,  are  allowed  to  lord  it  over  us. 

Now,  one  of  the  most  essential  branches  of  English  liberty  is 
the  freedom  of  one's  house.  A  man's  house  is  his  castle;  and, 
whilst  he  is  quiet,  he  is  as  well  guarded  as  a  prince  in  his  castle. 
The  writ,  if  it  should  be  declared  legal,  would  totally  annihilate 
this  privilege.  Custom-house  officers  may  enter  our  houses  when 
they  please.  Their  menial  servants  may  enter,  may  break  locks, 
bars,  and  everything  in  their  way;  and  whether  they  break 
through  malice  or  revenge,  no  man,  no  court  can  inquire.  Bare 
suspicion  without  oath  is  sufficient.  Every  person  has  this  power 
as  well  as  the  custom-house  officers.  What  a  scene  does  this 
open !  Every  man,  prompted  by  revenge,  ill-humor  or  wantonness 
to  inspect  the  inside  of  his  neighbor's  house,  may  get  a  writ  of 
assistance.  Others  will  ask  it  from  self-defence ;  one  arbitrary 
exertion  will  provoke  another,  until  society  be  involved  in  tumult 
and  in  blood ! 

Again,  these  writs  are  not  returned.  Writs,  in  their  nature,  are 
temporary  things.  When  the  purposes  for  which  they  are  issued 
are  answered,  they  exist  no  more;  but  these  live  forever;  no  one 
can  be  called  to  account.  Thus  reason  and  the  constitution  are 
both  against  this  writ. 

I  cheerfully  submit  myself  to  every  odious  name  for  conscience's 
sake.  Let  the  consequences  be  what  they  will,  I  am  determined 
to  proceed.  This  Writ  of  Assistance  appears  to  me  the  worst 
instrument  of  arbitrary  power,  the  most  destructive  of  English 
liberty  and  the  fundamental  principles  of  law,  that  ever  was  found 
in  an  English  law-book,  and  I  declare  that,  to  my  dying  day,  I 
will  oppose,  with  all  the  powers  and  faculties  God  has  given  me, 
all  such  instruments  of  slavery  and  villainy. 


In  speech,  the  orator  and  sage;  in  deed,  the  gentle  man  and  true; 
In  peace,  a  sunbeam  to  pursue ;  in  war,  the  leader  of  his  age. 
A  model  of  the  olden  time,  a  model  for  our  own  compeers ; 
And  ever  stately  and  sublime,  a  model  for  all  coming  years. 


— Margherita  Arlina  Hamm. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  179 

SPEECH  BEFORE  VIRGINIA  CONVENTION. 

["Give   Me   Liberty   or   Give   Me   Death."] 


Patrick  Henry. 

[1736-1799.] 


I  have  but  one  lamp  by  which  my  feet  are  guided,  and  that  is 
the  lamp  of  experience.  I  know  of  no  way  of  judging  of  the 
future  but  by  the  past.  And,  judging  by  the  past,  I  wish  to  know 
what  there  has  been  in  the  conduct  of  the  British  ministry  for  the 
last  ten  years  to  justify  those  hopes  with  which  gentlemen  have 
been  pleased  to  solace  themselves  and  the  house.  Is  it  that  insidi- 
ous smile  with  which  our  petition  has  been  lately  received?  Trust 
it  not,  sir ;  it  will  prove  a  snare  to  your  feet.  Suffer  not  yourselves 
to  be  betrayed  with  a  kiss.  Ask  yourselves  how  this  gracious  re- 
ception of  our  petition  comports  with  those  warlike  preparations 
which  cover  our  waters  and  darken  our  land.  Are  fleets  and 
armies  necessary  to  a  work  of  love  and  reconciliation?  Have  we 
shown  ourselves  so  unwilling  to  be  reconciled  that  force  must  be 
called  in  to  win  back  our  love?  Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves,  sir. 
These  are  the  implements  of  war  and  subjugation,  the  last  argu- 
ments to  which  kings  resort.  I  ask  gentlemen,  sir,  What  means 
this  martial  array,  if  its  purpose  be  not  to  force  us  to  submission  ? 
Can  gentlemen  assign  any  other  possible  motive  for  it?  Has 
Great  Britain  any  enemy,  in  this  quarter  of  the  world,  to  call  for 
all  this  accumulation  of  navies  and  armies  ?  No,  sir,  she  has  none. 
They  are  meant  for  us;  they  can  be  meant  for  no  other.  They 
are  sent  over  to  bind  and  rivet  upon  us  those  chains  which  the 
British  ministry  have  been  so  long  forging.  And  what  have  we 
to  oppose  to  them?  Shall  we  try  argument?  Sir,  we  have  been 
trying  that  for  the  last  ten  years.  Have  we  anything  new  to 
offer  upon  the  subject?  Nothing.  We  have  held  the  subject  up 
in  every  light  of  which  it  is  capable,  but  it  has  been  all  in  vain. 
Shall  we  resort  to  entreaty  and  humble  supplication  ?  What  terms 
shall  we  find  that  have  not  been  already  exhausted?    Let  us  not, 


180  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

I  beseech  you,  sir,  deceive  ourselves  longer.  Sir,  we  have  done 
everything  that  could  be  done  to  avert  the  storm  which  is  now 
coming  on.  We  have  petitioned,  we  have  remonstrated,  we  have 
supplicated,  we  have  prostrated  ourselves  before  the  throne,  and 
have  implored  its  interposition  to  arrest  the  tyrannical  hands  of 
the  ministry  and  parliament.  Our  petitions  have  been  slighted, 
our  remonstrances  have  produced  additional  violence  and  insult, 
our  supplications  have  been  disregarded,  and  we  have  been  spurned 
with  contempt  from  the  foot  of  the  throne !  In  vain,  after  these 
things,  may  we  indulge  the  fond  hope  of  peace  and  reconciliation. 
There  is  no  longer  any  room  for  hope.  If  we  wish  to  be  free,  if 
we  mean  to  preserve  inviolate  those  inestimable  privileges  for 
which  we  have  been  so  long  contending,  if  we  mean  not  basely  to 
abandon  the  noble  struggle  in  which  we  have  been  so  long  en- 
gaged, and  which  we  have  pledged  ourselves  never  to  abandon 
until  the  glorious  object  of  our  contest  shall  be  obtained,  we  must 
fight!  I  repeat  it,  sir,  we  must  fight!  An  appeal  to  arms- and  to 
the  God  of  Hosts  is  all  that  is  left  us. 

They  tell  us,  sir,  that  we  are  weak,  unable  to  cope  with  so  for- 
midable an  adversary.  But  when  shall  we  be  stronger?  Will  it 
be  the  next  week  or  the  next  year  ?  Will  it  be  when  we  are  totally 
disarmed,  and  when  a  British  guard  shall  be  stationed  in  every 
house?  Shall  we  gather  strength  by  irresolution  and  inaction? 
Shall  we  acquire  the  means  of  effectual  resistance  by  lying  su- 
pinely on  our  backs  and  hugging  the  delusive  phantom  of  hope 
until  our  enemies  shall  have  bound  us  hand  and  foot?  Sir,  we 
are  not  weak,  if  we  make  a  proper  use  of  those  means  which  the 
God  of  nature  hath  placed  in  our  power.  Three  millions  of  peo- 
ple, armed  in  the  holy  cause  of  liberty,  and  in  such  a  country  as 
that  which  we  possess,  are  invincible  by  any  force  which  our 
enemy  can  send  against  us.  Besides,  sir,  we  shall  not  fight  our 
battles  alone.  There  is  a  just  God  who  presides  over  the  destinies 
of  nations,  and  who  will  raise  up  friends  to  fight  our  battles  for 
us.  The  battle,  sir,  is  not  to  the  strong  alone;  it  is  to  the  vigilant, 
the  active,  the  brave.     Besides,  sir,  we  have  no  election.     If  we 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  181 

were  base  enough  to  desire  it,  it  is  now  too  late  to  retire  from 
the  contest.  There  is  no  retreat  but  in  submission  and  slavery ! 
Our  chains  are  forged !  Their  clanking  may  be  heard  on  the 
plains  of  Boston !  The  war  is  inevitable — and  let  it  come !  I  re- 
peat, sir,  let  it  come ! 

It  is  in  vain,  sir,  to  extenuate  the  matter.  Gentlemen  may  cry, 
Peace,  Peace,  but  there  is  no  peace.  The  next  gale  that  sweeps 
from  the  north  will  bring  to  our  ears  the  clash  of  resounding 
arms  !  Our  brethren  are  already  in  the  field !  Why  stand  we  here 
idle?  What  is  it  that  gentlemen  wish?  What  would  they  have? 
Is  life  so  dear,  or  peace  so  sweet,  as  to  be  purchased  at  the  price 
of  chains  and  slavery  ?  Forbid  it,  Almighty  God !  I  know  not 
what  course  others  may  "take,  but  as  for  me,  give  me  liberty  or 
give  me  death ! 


WASHINGTON'S  ADDRESS  TO  HIS  TROOPS. 


[Before   Battle   of  Long  Island,    1776.] 


The  time  is  near  at  hand  which  must  probably  determine 
whether  Americans  are  to  be  freemen  or  slaves ;  whether  they  are 
to  have  any  property  they  can  call  their  own ;  whether  their  houses 
are  to  be  pillaged  and  destroyed  and  themselves  consigned  to  a 
state  of  wretchedness  from  which  no  human  efforts  will  deliver 
them.  The  fate  of  unborn  millions  will  now  depend,  under  God, 
on  the  courage  and  conduct  of  this  army.  Our  enemy  leaves  us 
only  the  choice  of  a  brave  resistance  or  the  most  abject  submission. 
We  have,  therefore,  to  resolve  to  conquer  or  die.  Our  own,  our 
country's  honor,  calls  upon  us  for  a  vigorous  and  manly  exertion ; 
and,  if  we  now  shamefully  fail,  we  shall  become  infamous  before 
the  whole  world.  Let  us,  then,  rely  on  the  goodness  of  our  cause, 
and  the  aid  of  the  Supreme  Being,  in  whose  hands  victory  is,  to 
animate  and  encourage  us  to  great  and  noble  actions.  The  eyes 
of  all  our  countrymen  are  now  upon  us,  and  we  shall  have  their 
blessings  and  praises  if  happily  we  are  the  instruments  of  saving 
them  from  the  tyranny  meditated  against  them. 


182  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

Let  us,  therefore,  animate  and  encourage  each  other,  and  show 
the  whole  world  that  a  freeman  contending  for  liberty  on  his  own 
ground  is  superior  to  any  slavish  mercenary  on  earth.  Liberty, 
property,  life  and  honor  are  all  at  stake.  Upon  your  courage  and 
conduct  rest  the  hopes  of  our  bleeding  and  insulted  country.  Our 
wives,  children  and  parents  expect  safety  from  us  only;  and  they 
have  every  reason  to  believe  that  heaven  will  crown  with  success 
so  just  a  cause. 

The  enemy  will  endeavor  to  intimidate  us  by  show  and  ap- 
pearance ;  but,  remember,  they  have  been  repulsed  on  various  occa- 
sions by  a  few  brave  Americans.  Their  cause  is  bad — their  men 
are  conscious  of  it ;  and,  if  opposed  with  firmness  and  coolness  on 
their  first  onset,  with  our  advantages  of  works  and  knowledge  of 
the  ground,  the  victory  is  most  assuredly  ours.  Every  good  soldier 
will  be  silent  and  attentive,  wait  for  orders  and  reserve  his  fire 
until  he  is  sure  of  doing  execution. 


LITTLE  MARTHA  WASHINGTON. 


Mrs.  Royal  A.  Bristol. 


This  Lady,  Martha  Washington, 

Was  once  a  little  girl 
With  dimpled  cheeks  and  blushes, 

And  golden  hair  in  curl. 

She  never  had  a  hatchet, 

She  never  cut  a  tree, 
But  was  full  of  fun  and  frolic, 

Just  a  little  girl  like  me. 

Wore  a  puckered  satin  petticoat, 

Breast  knots  gay,  and  dainty  caps, 

Dropped  a  courtesy  to  her  mamma, 

[Courtesy  right.] 

Courtesied  deep  to  Lord  Fairfax. 

[Courtesy  left.] 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  183 

Thus  she  grew  up  like  a  flower, 

In  her  lovely  southern  home, 
Played  and  sang  with  piccaninnies, 

Played  the  spinet,  danced  and  sung. 

Cocked  her  head  up  like  a  birdie, 

Laughed  like  brooklet  in  the  sun, 
"When  I  grow  to  be  a  lady, 

[Courtesy  left.] 
I  shall  wed  George  Washington !" 
[Courtesy  right.] 


OUR  WASHINGTON. 


Eliza  W.  Durbin. 


O  son  of  Virginia,  thy  mem'ry  divine 
Forever  will  halo  this  country  of  thine. 
Not  hero  alone  in  the  battle's  wild  strife, 
But  hero  in  ev'ry  detail  of  thy  life. 
So  noble,  unselfish,  heroic,  and  true, 
A  God-given  gift  to  thy  country  were  you ; 
And  lovingly,  tenderly  guarding  thy  shrine, 
Columbia  points  proudly  and  says,  "He  is  mine." 

Thy  courage  upheld  us,  thy  judgment  sustained, 
Thy  spirit  stood  proof  when  discouragement  reigned, 
Thy  justice  unerring  all  bias  withstood, 
Thy  thought  never  self  but  thy  loved  country's  good. 
And  thy  country  will  never,  till  time  is  no  more, 
Cease  to  cherish  the  sleeper  on  yon  river's  shore ; 
And  ev'ry  fair  daughter  and  ev'ry  brave  son 
She'll  tell  of  the  greatness  of  her  Washington. 


184  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  • 

O  hero  immortal!  O  spirit  divine! 
'  What  glory  eternal,  what  homage  is  thine ! 
Forever  increasing  will  be  thy  renown, 
With  the  stars  of  Columbia  that  gleam  in  thy  crown. 
The  God  who  guards  liberty  gave  thee  to  earth, 
Forever  we'll  honor  the  heaven-sent  birth. 
E'en  heaven  itself  has  one  gladness  the  more 
That  our  hands  shall  clasp  thine  on  eternity's  shore. 

Then  sleep,  sweetly  sleep,  by  the  river's  calm  run, 
Thy  fame  will  live  on  in  the  land  thou  hast  won, 
To  Potomac's  soft  music  then  slumber  serene, 
The  spirit  of  freedom  will  keep  the  spot  green; 
And  so  long  as  time  echoes  the  hour  of  thy  birth, 
We  will  pay  loving  tribute  and  praise  to  thy  worth, 
And  pledge  to  keep  spotless  the  freedom  you  gave 
And  the  land  that  is  hallowed  by  Washington's  grave. 


SHE  DANCED  WITH  WASHINGTON. 


Elvira  Snyder  Miller. 


With  powdered  locks  and  brocade  gown, 
Fair  as  a  young  rose  just  a-blow, 

From  out  a  picture  she  looks  down — 
My  sweet  coquette  of  long  ago. 

Ere  time  her  beauty  could  dispel, 
Or  dim  the  dark  eye's  dancing  light, 

Love's  art  immortalized  this  belle 

Who  danced  with  Washington  one  night. 

The  town  was  glad  with  laugh  and  song, 
The  streets  and  windows  all  agleam 

While  in  the  ball-room  vast  and  long 
Awoke  the  music's  witching  dream. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  185 

Rare  gems  and  orders  glistened  there 

On  velvet  coats  and  breasts  of  snow, 
While  o'er  the  wide  floor  waxed  and  bare 

The  stately  throngs  passed  to  and  fro. 

Old  men  who  laid  stern  cares  aside 

And  jested  like  gay  youths  once  more, 
The  dowagers  in  stately  pride 

Trailed  their  stiff  brocades  o'er  the  floor. 

For  war  had  put  his  sword  away 

And  roses  masked  his  horrid  frown; 
And  love  and  life  kept  holiday 

Within  that  little  eastern  town. 

The  Frenchmen  who  had  brought  us  aid 

Across  the  ocean's  stormy  waters, 
Now,  as  the  lutes  and  viols  played, 

Led  out  our  Continental  daughters. 

And  Washington  stood  by  to  see 

The  grace  and  joyance  of  the  dance; 
He  praised  the  minstrel's  melody, 

And  smiled  response  to  every  glance. 

And  she  was  there,  this  sweet  coquette, 

Brave  in  rich  silks  and  ribbons  gay, 
Fair  as  a  young  rose  newly  wet 

With  heaven's  own  dew  at  break  af  day. 

Yes;  she  was  there.     She  smiled,  she  frowned 

Upon  her  suitors — every  one — 
Who  gathered  eagerly  around 

Like  Aztecs  worshiping  the  sun. 

One  held  her  glove,  and  one  her  fan, 

One  followed  madly  where  she  led, 
One  deemed  himself   a  happy  man 

To  win  her  smile,  but  soon  it  fled. 


186  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS 

At  last  when  every  heart  was  sore, 
Yet,  in  its  madness  did  adore  her, 

Across  the  wide  and  polished  floor 

Came  Washington  and  bowed  before  her 

Ah,  then  the  music  sweeter  grew, 
The  little  April  notes  seemed  laughing, 

And,  in  an  instant,  'ere  she  knew 
The  last  sweet  bit  of  idle  chafhng — 

Her  gallant  partner  led  her  out, 

Her  long  train  rustling  soft  behind  her, 

While  all  the  minstrels  thronged  about 
As  if  with  music  to  enwind  her. 

But  no !    'Twas  not  for  them  to  play 
The  strains  when  love  and  valor  met; 

The  gallant  Frenchmen  took  away 
Their  instruments.     Ah,  minuet ! 

So  sweetly  played  each  son  of  France 

Bent  o'er  the  strings  and  swept  them  light; 

They  played  for  beauty's  self  to  dance 
With  Washington  that  night. 

I  think  I  hear  the  silvery  notes, 
And  see  the  gay  musicians  stand 

In  buckled  shoes  and  velvet  coats, 

The  light  bow  in  each  jeweled  hand. 

I  see  the  General's  powdered  head 

Bend  o'er  her  gloved  hand  small  and  thin, 

While — as  the  minuet  they  tread — 
He  bows  to  her,  she  smiles  on  him. 

Perchance  now,  as  her  eyes  look  down 

Upon  the  careless  passer-by 
Her  thoughts  are  of  that  eastern  town, 

And  of  the  vanished  revelry. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  187 

Oh,  cruel  time !  to  treat  amiss 

A  face  so  radiantly  bright; 
And  of  her  history  leave  but  this : 

"She  danced  with  Washington  one  night." 


THE  MINUET. 


Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 


Grandma  told  me  all  about  it, 

Told  me  so  I  couldn't  doubt  it, 
How  she  danced — my  grandma  danced — long  ago 

How  she  held  her  pretty  head — 

How  her  dainty  skirt  she  spread — 

How  she  turned  her  little  toes — 
Smiling  little  human  rose — long  ago. 

Grandma's  hair  was  bright  and  sunny; 

Dimpled  cheeks,  too — ah,  how  funny ! 
Really  quite  a  pretty  girl — long  ago ! 

Bless  her !  why  she  wears  a  cap, 

Grandma  does,  and  takes  a  nap 

Every  single  day;  and  yet 
Grandma  danced  the  minuet — long  ago. 

Now  she  sits  there,  rocking,  rocking, 

Always  knitting  grandpa's  stocking 
(Every  girl  was  taught  to  knit — long  ago)  ; 

Yet  her  figure  is  so  neat, 

And  her  way  so  staid  and  sweet, 

I  can  almost  see  her  now 
Bending  to  her  partner's  bow — long  ago. 

Grandma  says  our  modern  jumping, 
Hopping,  rushing,  whirling,  bumping, 
Would  have  shocked  the  gentle  folk — long  ago. 


188  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

No;  they  moved  with  stately  grace, 

Everything  in  proper  place; 

Gliding  slowly  forward,  then 
Slowly  courtesying  back  again — long  ago. 

Modern  ways  are  quite  alarming, 

Grandma  says;  but  boys  were  charming — 
Girls  and  boys  I  mean,  of  course — long  ago. 

Bravely  modest,  grandly  shy, 

What  if  all  of  us  should  try 

Just  to  feel  like  those  who  met 
In  the  graceful  minuet — long  ago? 

With  the  minuet  in  fashion, 

Who  could  fly  into  a  passion? 
All  would  wear  the  calm  they  wore — long  ago. 

In  time  to  come,  if  I,  perchance, 

Should  tell  my  grandchild  of  our  dance, 

I  should  really  like  to  say, 
"We  did  it,  dear,  in  some  such  way — long  ago.': 

THE  GOOD  OLD  TIMES. 

Robert  J.  Burdette. 

When  Washington  was  president, 

He  saw  full  many  an  icicle; 
But  never  on  a  railroad  went, 

And  never  rode  a  bicycle. 
He  read  by  no  electric  lamp, 

Nor  heard  about  the  Yellowstone; 
He  never  licked  a  postage  stamp, 

And  never  saw  a  telephone. 
His  trousers  ended  at  the  knees, 

By  wire  he  could  not  send  dispatch ; 
He  filled  his  lamp  with  whale-oil  grease, 

And  never  had  a  match  to  scratch. 
But  in  these  days,  it's  come  to  pass, 

All  work  is  with  such  dashing  done — ■ 
We've  all  those  things ;  but  then,  alas ! 

We  seem  to  have  no  Washington. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  189 

GEORGE'S  CHERRY-TREE. 


Amanda  Waldron. 


Oh,  the  little  cherry-tree  was  a  rustler ! 

Its  leaves  danced  and  twinkled  in  the  breeze ; 

And  it  wore  its  blossoms  white, 

And  its  cherries,  coral-bright, 
Like  a  little  crowned  queen  among  the  trees. 

Oh,  the  little  cherry-tree  was  a  hustler ! 
It  grew  like  a  daisy  in  the  sun; 

It  lifted  up  its  head,. 

And  it  spread  and  it  spread, 
Until  George  cut  it  down  just  for  fun. 

Now  the  little  cherry-tree  is  a  teacher, 
And  its  scholars  are  the  people  of  the  land; 

It  teaches  truth  and  pluck 

Must  forever  bring  good  luck, 
And  it  shouts  the  lesson  out  to  beat  the  band ; 

And  the  little  cherry-tree  is  a  preacher, 
Preaching  sermons  with  the  hatchet  for  a  text. 

"God  and  nature" — so  it  speaks — 

"Hate  the  liars  and  the  sneaks: 
They're  not  wanted  in  this  world  nor  in  the  next." 

So  the  little  cherry-tree  is  immortal; 
For  centuries  its  fruit  shall  glitter  red; 

Trees  that  round  it  used  to  grow 

Turned  to  sawdust  long  ago, 
But  this  fellow  rises  yearly  from  the  dead. 

Oh,  little  cherry-tree,  by  the  portal 
Of  Fame's  historic  temple  you  are  set! 

And  because  you  had  to  die 

Just  to  teach  us  not  to  lie, 
You're  a  martyr,  and  we'll  canonize  you  yet ! 


190  WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS. 

GEORGE  AND  HIS  HATCHET. 


Mark  Twain. 


The  story  about  George  Washington  and  his  little  hatchet  has 
been  suggested  to  me  as  if  I  needed  some  of  George  Washington 
and  his  hatchet  in  my  constitution.  Why,  dear  me,  they  overlook 
the  real  point  in  that  story.  The  point  is  not  the  one  that  is 
usually  suggested,  and  you  can  readily  see  that. 

The  point  is  not  that  George  said  to  his  father,  "Yes,  father,  I 
cut  down  the  cherry-tree,  I  can't  tell  a  lie,"  but  that  the  little 
boy — only  seven  years  old — should  have  his  sagacity  developed 
under  such  circumstances.  He  was  a  boy  wise  beyond  his  years. 
His  conduct  then  was  a  prophecy  of  later  years.  Yes,  I  think 
he  was  the  most  remarkable  man  the  country  ever  produced — up 
to  my  time,  anyway. 

George  was  keen  enough  to  realize  that  circumstantial  evidence 
was  against  him.  He  knew  that  his  father  would  know  from  the 
size  of  the  chips  that  no  full-grown  hatchet  cut  that  tree  down 
and  that  no  man  would  have  haggled  it  so. 

Now,  then,  George — little  George — knew  that  everything  was 
against  him ;  he  knew  that  his  father  would  send  around  the  planta- 
tion and  inquire  for  a  small  boy  with  a  hatchet  and  he  had  the 
wisdom  to  come  out  and  confess  it.  Now,  the  idea  that  his  father 
was  overjoyed  when  he  told  little  George  that  he  would  rather 
have  him  cut  down  one  thousand  cherry-trees  than  tell  a  lie  is 
all  nonsense.  Wliat  did  he  really  mean?  Why,  that  he  was  abso- 
lutely astonished  that  he  had  a  son  who  had  a  chance  to  tell  a 
lie  and  didn't. 

I  admire  old  George — if  that  was  his  name — for  his  discern- 
ment. He  knew  when  he  said  that  his  son  couldn't  tell  a  lie  that 
he  was  stretching  it  a  good  deal.  The  way  the  old  George  Wash- 
ington story  goes  down  it  doesn't  do  anybody  any  good.  It  only 
discourages  people  who  can  tell  a  lie. 


WASHINGTON  CELEBRATIONS.  191 

BOY'S  WASHINGTON  COMPOSITION. 


Emma  C.  Dowd. 


"I  wish  my  composition  was  done ! 
What  shall  I  write  about  Washington?" 

The  Composition. 
First  there's  the  jolly  old  chimney-sweep, 
Washington  Wesley  Lincoln  Keep; 
He  is  black,  but  one  of  the  nicest  men ! 
I  wish  our  chimney'd  get  foul  again ! 
Then  there's  Washington,  up  in  the  north  of  the  State, 
Where  I  went  last  summer  with  Lou  and  Kate 
To  visit  an  uncle  I  never  had  seen, 
And  'most  got  hurt  in  the  mowing  machine. 
Then  there's  Washington  Avenue,  right  in  this  town ; 
A  boy  in  our  school  lives  there — Tom  Brown. 
And  a  railroad  train  that  you've  seen,  I  guess. 
They  call  it  the  Washington  fast  express. 
The  President  lives  in  Washington,  too — 
Not  the  one  where  I  went  with  Kate  and  Lou ; 
It's  bigger,  I  think,  though  I'm  not  very  sure, 
But  it's  where  folks  go  on  their  wedding-tour. 
Then,  let  me  see,  there's  a  Western  State 
Called  Washington — and  it  must  be  great! 
I  believe  their  summer  comes  early  in  spring — 
I'd  just  like  to  see  that  sort  of  thing ! 
And  O,  there's  another  I  'most  forgot, 
George  Washington,  who  fought  a  lot, 
A  long  time  ago,  in  a  war  they  had 
When  my  great-great-grandpa  was  only  a  lad. 

"There !  my  composition  is  done, 

And  that's  all  I  know  about  Washington !" 


1732— Waslfitt0tmt~  1799 


£79?  HE  defender  of  his  country — the  founder  of  liberty — 
\y  the  friend  of  man.  History  and  tradition  are  ex- 
plored in  vain  for  a  parallel  to  his  character. 

In  the  annals  of  modern  greatness  he  stands  alone;  and  the 
noblest  names  of  antiquity  lose  their  luster  in  his  pres- 
ence. Born  the  benefactor  of  mankind,  he  united  all  the 
qualities  necessary  to  an  illustrious  career. 

Nature  made  him  great;  he  made  himself  virtuous. 

Called  by  his  country  to  the  defense  of  her  liberties,  he  tri- 
umphantly vindicated  the  rights  of  humanity,  and  on 
the  pillars  of  national  independence  laid  the  foundations 
of  a  great  republic. 

Twice  invested  with  Supreme  Magistracy  by  the  unani- 
mous vote  of  a  free  people,  he  surpassed  in  the  Cabinet 
the  glories  of  the  field,  and,  voluntarily  resigning  the 
scepter  and  the  sword,  retired  to  the  shades  of  private 
life. 

A  spectacle  so  new  and  so  sublime  was  contemplated  with 
the  prof oundest  admiration,  and  the  name  of  Washing- 
ton, adding  new  luster  to  humanity ,  resounded  to  the 
remotest  regions  of  the  earth. 

Magnanimous  in  youth,  glorious  through  life,  great  in 
death.  His  highest  ambition,  the  happiness  of  mankind. 
His  noblest  victory,  the  conquest  of  himself. 

Bequeathing  to  posterity  the  inheritance  of  his  fame,  and 
building  his  monument  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen, 
he  lived  the  ornament  of  the  eighteenth  century;  he  died 
regretted  by  a  mourning  world. 


192 


